How many miles does a soccer player run during the World Cup?

The opening day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup – the biggest in FIFA’s 96-year history – kicked off in Mexico City on June 11. The World Cup is considered the most watched sporting event on the planet. More earnings are expected from this tournament 5 billion views In 39 days, its final match is scheduled for July 19.

These elite soccer players from a record 48 teams competing in 104 matches will, for five and a half weeks, push their bodies to the limit. But to what extent and how much ground does a typical footballer cover from start to finish during a World Cup tournament – ​​if they even reach the final match?

We did the math and put the numbers in the context that runners and outdoor adventurers love: marathon and half marathon completions, total miles, steps, and distance covered (plus, the length of the FIFA field just for fun). Here’s what we came up with.

how we did math

First, we needed to determine how far a player ran in any given match. But in the interest of time, and because we’re not math geniuses, we narrowed our focus to one type of player rather than every player at any given position. Therefore, we have made the following calculations based on the average distance covered by a midfielder during a football match. Why midfielder? because a 2021 study Examining the physical output of each position in the game it was found that the midfielder, who keep the ball moving across the fieldNot only run the longest distance but also run at the highest intensity compared to the strikers (who main objective the goaltender), the central defender (who guards his team’s goal), and, of course, the goalkeeper. The study’s researchers determined that central midfielders ran an average of 11.66 kilometers or 7.25 miles per match. To keep the numbers neat we’ll call it 7.

If a central midfielder reaches the final match, it will mean that he has made it to the group stage, round of 32, round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals. We expect players from the 2026 winning team to play 8 matches (instead of the traditional 7 matches) due to the increase in the number of teams competing in this year’s tournament. (48 teams competing instead of the usual 32).

miles and feet covered

By the time our central midfielder and his team lift the trophy, they will have run an average of 7 miles over the course of 8 matches. This is approximately 56 miles or 295,680 feet.

Ultramarathon, marathon and half-marathon completed

Because a marathon and a half-marathon are a little more than 26 miles and just over 13 miles long respectively, the central midfielder would have logged a little more than two marathons and more than four half-marathons.

Glasgow to Edinburgh (G2E) Ultramarathon There are 56 miles in Scotland. So, in World Cup matches alone, a winning midfielder will have run the length of an ultra. (Click here to view the G2E route map To see how far away he is.)

Number of FIFA field lengths crossed

According to FIFA, the field dimensions of a typical playing field are 105m x 68m; It is approximately 345 feet long and 223 feet wide. If they run a distance of approximately 295,680 feet during a tournament, this is equivalent to running back and forth the length of a FIFA field 857 times.

Total distance covered since 2025 World Cup qualifying matches

For example, let’s take Croatia’s legendary midfielder Luka Modric. In the year before the 2026 World Cup, according to espnCroatia played 8 World Cup qualifying matches and 2 international friendlies. A total of ten matches have taken place since June 2025. For simplicity, we will assume that he has played in all those matches. Therefore, if Modric reaches the final match in this year’s tournament, he will have competed in 18 matches.

The distance he would have covered would have been equivalent to running 126 miles, about 5 marathons, about 10 half-marathons, or the length of 1,928 FIFA fields.

distance covered

To better understand how much ground a midfielder covers. The distance between Denver and Colorado Springs is approximately 70 miles; Covering 126 miles is like walking or running from Denver to Colorado Springs and back. Long Island is about 118 miles wide, so imagine walking from one end of the island to the other, then running 10 km. That 126-mile distance is equivalent to a little less than half the length of the Grand Canyon, which is 277 miles long.

Soccer players are recording some serious overall gains and aerobic output. And they’re doing all this while defending their goal, kicking the ball, falling (and getting back up), and sliding down the field. All that said – we are thoroughly impressed.

Are you preparing for the 2026 World Cup? If so, let us know in the comments whose side you’re rooting for.