World Cup knockout nations ranked by broadband speeds

The FIFA World Cup knockout stage brings together 32 elite football teams from across the globe competing for football’s biggest prize. On the pitch, they compete for a World Cup title. Off the pitch, their home countries have vastly different levels of broadband performance.

Using May 2026 Speedtest Global Index fixed broadband data, we ranked the 32 World Cup knockout-stage countries by median download speed to see which nations led the field in connectivity. From tournament-leading broadband performance in France to considerably lower speeds elsewhere in the field, the data shows how broadband performance compares across the countries that reached the knockout stage.

World Cup Knockout Stage: By the Numbers

The 32 teams in the World Cup knockout stage may be more evenly matched on the pitch than they are when it comes to fixed broadband performance. Some countries recorded median download speeds above 300 Mbps, many exceeded 200 Mbps, while others remained below 50 Mbps, reflecting the broad range of internet performance across the field.

The Numbers, At a Glance:

• France set the pace: According to the May 2026 Speedtest Global Index, France recorded the fastest median download speed (352.77 Mbps) and median upload speed (276.67 Mbps) among the 32 knockout-stage countries.
• Cape Verde rounded out the rankings: Cape Verde recorded the slowest median download speed at 39.57 Mbps and ranked 29th in median upload speed with 15.15 Mbps. Meanwhile, Bosnia-Herzegovina posted the slowest median upload speed at 10.30 Mbps.
• Only three countries broke the 300 Mbps barrier: France, the United States, and Switzerland were the only knockout-stage countries to exceed median download speeds of 300 Mbps, with Switzerland narrowly clearing the mark at 300.70 Mbps.
• High-speed broadband spanned multiple regions: Twelve knockout-stage countries exceeded 200 Mbps on the Global Index, with Europe, North America, South America, and Asia all represented.
• Lower broadband speeds remained part of the picture: While many knockout-stage countries recorded exceptionally fast broadband speeds, ten recorded median download speeds below 100 Mbps, with six below 50 Mbps.
• Latency remained consistently low. Thirty-one of the 32 knockout-stage countries recorded median fixed broadband latency of 26 ms or less. DR Congo was the lone outlier at 143 ms.

A Different Way to View the World Cup
The World Cup knockout stage brought together countries with very different broadband experiences, from France’s tournament-leading fixed broadband performance to markets where fixed broadband speeds remain comparatively lower. Of course, none of that influenced which teams advanced or ultimately lifted the World Cup trophy.

Looking beyond the matches, the data provides another way to compare the countries that reached football’s biggest stage. Whether you’re interested in football, connectivity, or both, the tournament offers another perspective on the 32 nations that reached the knockout stage. Ookla