Ranked: The Most Followed People on Instagram in 2026
Key Takeaways
- Soccer stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two most-followed people on Instagram.
- Americans account for 14 of the 20 people in the ranking.
- Indian cricketer Virat Kohli has nearly as many followers as Taylor Swift.
Sixteen years after Instagram launched, its biggest personal accounts have audiences numbering in the hundreds of millions.
This visualization ranks the 20 most-followed people on Instagram as of late August 2026, based on follower counts on the platform. Accounts belonging to brands have been excluded from this ranking.
The Big Two of Soccer
Cristiano Ronaldo leads all individual accounts with 679 million followers, putting him 163 million ahead of Lionel Messi. Only Instagram’s official account has more followers than the 41-year-old Portuguese soccer star.
Ronaldo has transformed his two-decade-long soccer career and massive social media presence into lucrative sponsorship deals. He reportedly earns over $3 million per sponsored post, contributing to his off-field earnings and status as the world’s highest-paid athlete.
The table below ranks the world’s 20 most-followed people on Instagram.
| Rank | Account | Millions of Followers (2026) | Profession |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Cristiano Ronaldo |
679 | Athlete |
| 2 |  Lionel Messi |
516 | Athlete |
| 3 |  Selena Gomez |
403 | Actress |
| 4 | Dwayne Johnson |
381 | Actor |
| 5 | Kylie Jenner |
381 | Media Personality |
| 6 | Ariana Grande |
363 | Actress & Musician |
| 7 | Kim Kardashian |
344 | Media Personality |
| 8 | Beyonce |
299 | Musician |
| 9 | Khloe Kardashian |
291 | Media Personality |
| 10 |  Justin Bieber |
286 | Musician |
| 11 | Kendall Jenner |
277 | Media Personality |
| 12 | Taylor Swift |
273 | Musician |
| 13 |  Virat Kohli |
272 | Athlete |
| 14 |  Neymar |
242 | Athlete |
| 15 | Jennifer Lopez |
240 | Actress & Musician |
| 16 | Kourtney Kardashian |
209 | Media Personality |
| 17 | Miley Cyrus |
205 | Actress & Musician |
| 18 | Katy Perry |
195 | Musician |
| 19 | Zendaya |
177 | Actress |
| 20 | Kevin Hart |
172 | Actor |
Ronaldo’s longtime rival, Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi, ranks second with 516 million followers. The Inter Miami captain recently announced his retirement from international soccer on Instagram, sparking reactions around the world.
Messi has also produced the most-liked post in Instagram history. His carousel celebrating Argentina’s victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup has received more than 75 million likes.
Actors, Musicians, and Kardashians
Following the two soccer legends is a string of American celebrities, led by Selena Gomez with 403 million followers. After beginning her career as a singer and actress on Disney Channel, the 34-year-old Gomez used her social media reach to help build a fortune through her Rare Beauty cosmetics company.
Next are Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Kylie Jenner, both with 381 million followers. Jenner’s sisters and half-sisters are also heavily represented: Kim Kardashian has 344 million followers, Khloé Kardashian has 291 million, Kendall Jenner has 277 million, and Kourtney Kardashian has 209 million.
Unlike platforms such as X, Instagram’s most-followed people include no politicians or traditional business leaders as of 2026.
Virat Kohli Nearly Matches Taylor Swift
While Americans account for 14 of the top 20 spots, several of Instagram’s largest personal accounts belong to international sports stars. Brazil’s Neymar has 242 million followers, while Canadian pop star Justin Bieber has 286 million.
One of the closest comparisons in the ranking is between Taylor Swift and Virat Kohli. Swift ranks 12th with 273 million followers, just one million ahead of the Indian cricket star. Kohli’s enormous audience reflects both his status as one of cricket’s biggest names and India’s position as Instagram’s largest national market.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
Curious whether the next generation plans to stay on Instagram? Check out What Are Gen Z’s Favorite Social Media Platforms? on Voronoi.
