Speed is a crucial athletic you should possess when playing intense sports like basketball and football. However, the answer to the debate around who runs faster, a basketball and soccer player, may surprise you. Who is faster between football and basketball players?

Although both of them can make quick movements beyond the average speed of regular athletes, football players are typically faster than basketball players. The reason is that soccer players run on vast fields passionately in an attempt to score.

There are many reasons to support the claim, which you will learn in the following sections. Don’t miss them out!

Which Sport Runs the Most: Basketball or Football?

The debate on football players vs. basketball players has been going on for decades since basketball and soccer are two popular sports played around the world. The question is: which sport runs the most? Football players take the win in this one.

The stats of the fastest players in these sports can support these claims. The fastest football player in history is Bob Hayes. He ran at a speed of 100 meters in 10.06 seconds in a match. In comparison, John Wall, the fastest basketball player, ran at 32.7 km/h (20.3 mph).

Why do football players run faster, then? The answer is simple; they have to make quick movements since the field they play on is so vast. They rely on speed and a combination of power and strength to take advantage of making a touchdown.

They also need to run on wider fields to make a touchdown, while basketball players do not need to run as far to make a score because the court is smaller in dimension. The average speed of these players differs because the nature of these sports is different.

How about football vs. basketball, which is harder? These two sports require different athletic exertion, so it is irrelevant to compare them based on one factor, such as speed alone. The bottom line is both sports are equally challenging in their ways.

Football players may run faster than basketball players, but both players can run more than the average speed of other athletes. Yes, both can dash, and it’s just that basketball games do not require you to run as fast as football games which also require so much physical strength.

Average Speed of Football Players and Basketball Players

We already know football players are the answer to the question, “Are football players or basketball players faster?” This time you will learn the average speed of these players based on relevant data and facts.

Since football players run more than twice the distance of basketball players, it is understandable that they have to maintain a higher average running speed. According to calculations based on their running distances (which you will learn later), most football players can run 32 to 33.9 km/h, while basketball players run 8.5 km/h.

Now that you are already stoked, the sections below will elaborate more on why soccer players take the lead in running speed.

How Many Miles Do Soccer Players Run Per Game?

Per a study published by the National Library of Medicine, most football players run an average of 21 miles per game, equivalent to about 33.9 kilometers. This distance is almost twice the average distance basketball players run.

To put this in perspective, football players can run almost 34 kilometers in just one hour, which is an impressive feat of endurance. This is because they constantly run back and forth while exerting so much physical strength by using their bodies as shields to block other players from making touchdowns. 

This extensive running requires physical endurance and mental toughness to stay focused and alert throughout the game. They must also maintain high stamina even when exhaustion kicks in the latter part of the game.

How Far Do Basketball Players Run Per Game?

According to research by the American Council on Exercise, basketball players run an average of 2.9 miles per game. This distance may seem small than soccer players’ average records, but it is vital to consider the nature of the sport.

Basketball players make explosive movements in a limited space, affecting the speed they need to exert. It is important to note that a court has a dimension of 84 feet by length and a width of 50 feet.

This means they run shorter distances because the court they are playing in is smaller. Another thing is that the sport does not revolve around running faster alone; they have to sprint, run, jump, etc.

Despite the smaller distance covered, basketball players still require high physical fitness and endurance. They must maintain their energy and stamina to perform at their best throughout the game.

What are the Factors Affecting Speed in Football and Basketball?

Football and basketball players have varying running speed records due to the nature of these sports. In football, players have to run longer distances, while basketball players have to make quick, explosive movements in short distances.

Nonetheless, both sports require various physical and mental skills to excel, and the combination of these skills determines success. Most of all, It is unfair to downplay a player just because they run slower commensurate to the nature of the sports they are playing.

Below are the factors that affect the speed of basketball and soccer players.

• Nature of the sport

Basketball and football require different skill sets. In football, players must run faster to score because the distances between their posts are more extensive. Hence, they have to take advantage by optimizing their speed and strength.

On the other hand, basketball players need not run as fast as soccer players because they need a combination of explosive movements and speed. Also, there are smaller spaces between players, so it isn’t easy to run at full speed. 

• Court and Field Dimensions

The most obvious factor is the distance of their game space. Football fields are so vast that players must increase their momentum to attempt a touchdown. They have to run extra distances with larger spaces between players while trying to pass through human roadblocks.

Meanwhile, basketball shorts are tiny in terms of dimensions, and this translates to how much speed players need to exert. Running at the speed of a soccer match in a basketball game poses risks to injuries.

• Skill Sets

Basketball and football require different skill sets. In football, players rely heavily on both the upper and lower extremities to block and make a touchdown. Hence, they train hard to improve their overall strength and, most of all, speed.

Basketball players, in contrast, use their upper extremities more during a game. Nonetheless, they must have the right combination of whole-body skills to exert explosiveness and speed simultaneously. 

Hence, juggling these two critical skills could limit their speed, not to mention the court dimension is also restricting them from running at their fullest speed.

• Training

Proper training and conditioning are vital factors that improve your speed, whether you are a basketball or football player. Regular exercise, drills, and workouts help improve muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility, contributing to faster running speeds.

• Game Strategy

The overall game strategy is a significant factor in your running speed. In basketball and football, the game’s pace varies depending on your strategy—whether it be explosive or slow, but sure.

A fast-paced game needs you to run at a faster speed while trying to maintain the speed over the course of the game. Meanwhile, a slower game lets you conserve your speed and utilize quick bursts of speed at the right time.

Wrapping Things Up: Who is Typically Faster: Football or Basketball Players?

It used to be football vs. basketball popularity debates, but now everyone is dying to know who is faster between football and basketball players. Undoubtedly, basketball players run slower than football players.

Football players can run 21 miles per hour, while basketball players can only run 2.9 miles on average. Therefore, football players run several times more than the distance as basketball players.

Nonetheless, you can continuously improve your speed through proper and consistent training. Confining yourself to certain speed limits would be a shame just because you are playing a specific sport.

We hope you enjoyed this post! If you did, be sure to check out our other basketball FAQ articles here.