Australia World Cup star Volpato faces speeding, cocaine charges

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing New South Wales police and The Associated Press, reported that Australian World Cup footballer Cristian Volpato has allegedly tested positive for cocaine after being stopped by police in Sydney. The 22-year-old forward was also charged with speeding after police said he was detected driving 50km/h, or about 30mph, above the posted limit on Anzac Bridge early on Friday, July 24, 2026.

According to the report, police said Volpato was given a roadside drug test after the traffic stop and that the test returned a positive result for cocaine. The available report does not include any response from Volpato, his representatives or his club, and it does not state whether any court date or further disciplinary process has been set.

Volpato recently represented Australia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making three appearances for the Socceroos. His case is notable because he switched international allegiance from Italy to Australia before the tournament, after previously playing for Italy at youth level but not for the senior national team.

The report also outlines Volpato’s football background. He began in youth systems in Sydney, including Sydney United, Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers, before joining Roma in 2020. He later moved to Sassuolo in 2023 and became established in Serie A. Al Jazeera noted that he had been linked with a possible Australia switch before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but his final Italy appearance came at under-21 level in 2025.