Tim Payne's Instagram Explosion Ahead of the 2026 World Cup

New Zealand centre-back Tim Payne, a 32-year-old Wellington Phoenix defender, saw his Instagram followers jump from under 5,000 on May 28 to over 4 million in days as the 2026 World Cup approaches. The surge began when content creator Valen Scarsini, known as “El Scarso,” identified Payne as the tournament’s least-known player and urged his 1.6 million followers on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to like, comment on and follow Payne’s account.

Miami Herald

May 28: Payne’s Instagram listed 4,715 followers. Early June: Scarsini’s video went live; the count rose to 550,000 in a day. June 2: Coach Darren Bazeley addressed the surge. June 3: Payne posted a bilingual thank-you video calling period “pretty crazy.” June 5: New Zealand will face Haiti in a friendly at Fort Lauderdale Stadium.

The Independent

Reported follower totals range from 4 million (Miami Herald) to 4.2 million (The Independent, Straits Times). Payne now exceeds the New Zealand squad’s collective following and outpaces New Zealand athletes such as cricketer Kane Williamson (3.3 million) and the All Blacks rugby team (2.8 million). Scarsini’s audience of 1.6 million across platforms amplified the reach.

The Straits Times

Coach Bazeley said he is not a social-media expert but believes Payne is handling the attention and staying focused on the tournament. Payne thanked Scarsini, apologized for his Spanish and expressed gratitude for representing his country. Scarsini described the effort as a way to unite fans worldwide, while midfielder Marko Stamenic said the episode shows the power of social media in sport.

The Independent

Sources differ on the exact follower count—some cite 4 million, others 4.2 million—and the precise date of Scarsini’s initial post is not uniformly reported. The New Zealand squad’s total follower figure is also unspecified, limiting direct comparison.

Nine.com.au

• “I'm not very social media-savvy. From my understanding it's obviously a big deal, the numbers they're talking about is huge,” — Darren Bazeley, New Zealand head coach

The Independent

• “Hello everyone. Thanks so much for all the support. Apologies for my Spanish. I keep practicing with DuoLingo. Just want to say a massive thank you, first to you, Valen. It’s been a pretty crazy 48 hours, to say the least. I also wanted to express that I’m very grateful to represent my country and I appreciate all the love from around the world. Muchas gracias.” — Tim Payne, player

Miami Herald

• “ In a video urging his fans to follow Payne, Scarsini said: “There are only a few days left before the World Cup starts, and we are all waiting to cheer for our national team, but what if there was a player who united us all, a footballer we all support regardless of their nationality?” — Valen Scarsini, influencer

Miami Herald

• “It honestly just shows the power of social media,” — Marko Stamenic, midfielder

The Independent

New Zealand will play Haiti in a World Cup friendly on June 5, then open Group G against Iran on June 16 in Inglewood, followed by matches versus Egypt (June 22) and Belgium (June 27) in Vancouver.

Miami Herald