Want to know how fast a football player can move? Our Football Pace Calculator uses distance and time to estimate a player’s running speed and pace. It’s a quick way to track speed, compare performances, and measure improvement on the pitch.
Football Pace Calculator
Turn a sprint test time or a GPS top speed into km/h, mph and a pace rating out of 99, then see how you compare with elite players and the Premier League speed record.
- Test Setup
- Your Result
- Your Pace
How Did You Measure Your Speed?
Use a timed sprint, or enter the top speed shown by a GPS watch, tracker or app.
Enter Your Sprint Time
Use your best attempt after a proper warm-up.
Please enter a realistic value for this test.
Estimates depend on how accurately you time your sprint. Always warm up properly before sprinting, and stop if you feel pain.
Football Top Speeds On One Scale
How top speed in km/h maps to the GlobeHour pace rating, with two real-world reference points.
How The Football Pace Calculator Works
Four quick steps from a stopwatch to a pace rating.
Pick Your Test
Choose a standing or flying sprint, or enter a top speed from a tracker.
Enter Your Result
Type your time in seconds or your recorded top speed.
Get Your Speed
See top speed and average speed in km/h, mph and m/s.
See Your Rating
Get a pace rating out of 99 and compare with elite players.
What Is A Football Pace Calculator?
Pace is one of the most valuable qualities in football. A quick winger can beat a full-back with one touch, a fast centre back can recover when the line is broken, and a striker with pace can run in behind any defense.
The GlobeHour Football Pace Calculator turns a simple sprint test into numbers you can track. Enter a distance and time, or the top speed from a GPS tracker, and you get your top speed in km/h and mph, your average speed, a pace rating from 1 to 99, and a comparison with elite players and the Premier League speed record.
How To Test Your Sprint Speed
Standing Sprint (30 m, 40 m, 40 yd, 60 m, 100 m)
Start from a still position behind the line and sprint flat out past the finish. This measures acceleration and speed together, so the calculator estimates your top speed from your time.
Flying Sprint (10 m, 20 m, 30 m)
Mark a run-up zone of about 20 to 30 m, then a timed zone. Reach full speed in the run-up and time only the second zone. Because you are already at top speed, a flying sprint measures top speed directly and is the most accurate test here.
GPS Trackers And Apps
Many players wear GPS vests or watches that record top speed in training and matches. Enter that number directly using the Top Speed method.
Getting An Accurate Time
- Warm up for at least 10 minutes with jogging, mobility and a few build-up runs.
- Measure the distance with a tape, not by pacing it out.
- Use timing gates or a video sprint app if you can.
- Take two or three attempts with full rest and use your best.
- Test on the same surface and in similar weather each time.
How Your Pace Is Calculated
Average Speed
For example, a flying 20 m in 2.30 seconds is 20 ÷ 2.30 = 8.70 m/s, which is 31.3 km/h or 19.5 mph.
Top Speed From A Standing Start
From a standing start you spend the first part of the sprint accelerating, so your average speed is lower than your top speed. The calculator uses a standard sprint acceleration model, in which speed rises towards a maximum with a time constant of 0.9 seconds, to estimate the top speed that fits your time. A 30 m sprint in 4.20 seconds gives an estimated top speed of about 32.6 km/h.
Hand Timing
Stopwatch times usually read faster than electronic times because the timer reacts late at the start. The calculator adds 0.24 seconds to hand times, a commonly used adjustment.
Pace Rating
The pace rating maps top speed onto a 1 to 99 scale: 18 km/h scores 1 and 36 km/h or faster scores 99, rising evenly in between.
| Pace Rating | Label | Top Speed From |
|---|---|---|
| 93–99 | Elite Pace | 34.9 km/h (21.7 mph) |
| 85–92 | Very Fast | 33.4 km/h (20.8 mph) |
| 75–84 | Fast | 31.6 km/h (19.6 mph) |
| 60–74 | Quick | 28.8 km/h (17.9 mph) |
| 40–59 | Average | 25.2 km/h (15.7 mph) |
| 1–39 | Building Speed | Below 25.2 km/h |
How Fast Are Professional Footballers?
A large study of 939 elite Norwegian players, published by Haugen and colleagues in 2013, found that most elite male players reach a peak sprint speed of about 8.8 to 9.0 m/s in testing, which is roughly 32 km/h. Forwards were the fastest over the first 20 m, followed by defenders, midfielders and goalkeepers.
Speeds recorded in matches are often higher, because players can build up speed over longer distances and chase the ball at full effort. The fastest speed recorded in the Premier League since 2020/21 is 37.38 km/h, set by Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven in January 2024.
Speed By Position
- Wingers and forwards rely most on pace to beat defenders and run in behind.
- Full-backs and wing-backs need repeated sprints up and down the flank.
- Centre backs need recovery speed to cover balls over the top.
- Midfielders rely more on acceleration over short distances.
- Goalkeepers need explosive first steps more than top speed.
How To Get Faster For Football
- Sprint 10 to 30 m at full effort with full rest between reps.
- Train acceleration with starts from different positions.
- Add flying sprints once a week to build top speed.
- Strengthen legs and hips with squats, lunges and hip thrusts.
- Use jumps and bounds to build explosive power.
- Work on sprint technique: tall posture and a strong arm drive.
- Sprint when fresh, not at the end of a hard session.
- Sleep well and recover between speed sessions.
Football Pace Calculator FAQ
How Do I Calculate My Sprint Speed?
Divide the distance in metres by your time in seconds to get metres per second, then multiply by 3.6 for km/h. The calculator does this for you and also estimates your top speed.
Is The Football Pace Calculator Free?
Yes. It is completely free, needs no sign-up and works on phones, tablets and computers.
What Is A Good Top Speed For A Footballer?
Research on elite players found peak sprint speeds of about 8.8 to 9.0 m/s, roughly 32 km/h, in testing. In this calculator that is a pace rating in the high 70s.
What Is The Fastest Speed In The Premier League?
The fastest speed recorded in the Premier League since 2020/21 is 37.38 km/h, set by Micky van de Ven in January 2024.
What Is A Flying Sprint?
A flying sprint is timed after a run-up, so you are already at top speed when the clock starts. It measures top speed more directly than a standing start.
Why Is My Top Speed Higher Than My Average Speed?
From a standing start, you spend the first seconds accelerating. Your average over the whole sprint is therefore lower than the top speed you reach near the end.
Are Stopwatch Times Accurate?
Hand times usually read fast because of reaction time at the start. The calculator adds 0.24 seconds to hand times to make them closer to electronic times.
How Is The Pace Rating Worked Out?
The rating maps top speed onto a 1 to 99 scale, from 18 km/h scoring 1 to 36 km/h or more scoring 99. It is GlobeHour’s own scale, not a video game rating.
How Often Should I Test My Speed?
Every four to six weeks is enough to see progress. Use the same test, surface and timing method each time.
Is My Information Saved?
Your inputs are saved only in your own browser so you can compare later. Nothing is sent to GlobeHour.
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Ready To Check Your Pace?
One sprint and a stopwatch are all you need. Get your speed and pace rating in seconds.
Open The Pace Calculator
