Brazil leads Instagram reach rankings for 2026 World Cup, Germany third

A study by the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management examined the Instagram presence of the 48 national teams set to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ranking was based on the median follower count of the 13 most influential accounts for each nation – the eleven players with the highest reach, the national coach and the federation account.

Brazil topped the list with 18.2 million followers, followed by Argentina with 12.2 million and Germany in third place with 6.2 million average followers, making it the strongest European nation. Germany’s total of 72.3 million followers is spread across many players and the coach, with captain Manuel Neuer accounting for about 14.6 million – roughly one‑fifth of the team’s overall reach.

Portugal, despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s 666 million personal followers, ranked only seventh because the study discounts single‑star dominance. Other nations such as Morocco, Egypt and Colombia ranked higher than some traditional powers, showing that broad community engagement can outweigh on‑field success. Overall, 94 % of the 1,341 World Cup actors surveyed have Instagram accounts, underscoring the platform’s role as a standard communication channel in international football.