Top 10 most-followed Instagram accounts in 2026: Ronaldo and Messi on top; PM Modi crosses 100 million followers

Top 10 most-followed Instagram accounts in 2026: With billions of active users, Instagram dominates the global social media landscape.

It’s a popular social media platform for public figures, brands, and institutions to engage with audiences worldwide, with its follower counts being a crucial indicator of global popularity, cultural influence, and digital engagement.

Instagram’s official account has approximately 700 million followers, ranking first globally by follower count.

In terms of the most-followed individual or user, Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo leads with about 671 million followers.

Ronaldo is followed by Argentine football icon and competitor Lionel Messi, with about 511 million followers.

The Kardashian sisters — Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Khloé Kardashian — continue to hold three spots in Instagram’s list of the top 10 most-followed accounts.

PM Modi is the most followed world leader on Instagram

PM Narendra Modi Instagram (Screenshot)

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made history by becoming the first world leader and politician to cross 100 million followers on Instagram.

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His follower count is now more than double that of US President Donald Trump.

Virat Kohli is the most-followed Indian on Instagram

Virat Kohli Instagram (Screenshot)

Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) is among Asia’s most-followed cricketers and is one of India’s most followed celebrities in India.

With 274 million followers on Instagram, he ranks within the top 20 most-followed accounts worldwide.

Top 10 most-followed Instagram accounts worldwide in 2026:

World's Top 10 Most-Followed Instagram Accounts

Global Rankings 2026

#1

Instagram

@instagram

700M

Followers

#2

Cristiano Ronaldo

@cristiano

671M

Followers

#3

Leo Messi

@leomessi

511M

Followers

#4

Selena Gomez

@selenagomez

415M

Followers

#5

Kylie Jenner

@kyliejenner

391M

Followers

#6

Dwayne Johnson

@therock

390M

Followers

#7

Ariana Grande

@arianagrande

372M

Followers

#8

Kim Kardashian

@kimkardashian

353M

Followers

#9

Beyoncé

@beyonce

307M

Followers

#10

Khloé Kardashian

@khloekardashian

299M

Followers

Data accurate as of February 26, 2026 | Follower counts subject to change

Indian Express InfoGenIE

Note: The follower count is as of February 26, 2026. These figures may change over time due to fluctuations in rankings and engagement levels, which are influenced by the virality of new content and emerging trends.

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