Austria maintains 24th place globally as media perceptions and sustainability credentials strengthen in Global Soft Power Index 2026

• Austria retains 24^th position globally despite slight score decline
• Significant improvements in media perceptions, with 'trustworthy media' climbing 6 ranks to 12^th globally
• Sustainability credentials advance with 'acts to protect the environment' rising 4 ranks
• US holds top spot in Global Soft Power Index despite broad declines; Japan overtakes the UK for 3^rd

LONDON, 20 January 2026 – Austria has maintained its 24^th position in the global rankings, according to the new iteration of the Global Soft Power Index by Brand Finance. While Austria's overall Soft Power score declined marginally from 53.9 to 53.3 out of 100, the nation has demonstrated notable improvements in media perceptions and sustainability metrics.

Brand Finance publishes the Global Soft Power Index based on a survey of more than 150,000 respondents from over 100 countries to gather data on global perceptions of all 193 member states of the United Nations. Thanks to the scope of the survey, the Index is the world’s most comprehensive study on perceptions of nation brands, providing an in-depth analysis of the evolving status of Soft Power as nations navigate significant global changes and challenges.  

Soft Power is defined as a nation’s ability to influence the preferences and behaviours of various actors in the international arena (states, corporations, communities, publics, etc.) through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion. Each nation is scored across 55 different metrics to arrive at an overall score out of 100 and ranked in order from 1^st to 193^rd.

Austria has shown particularly strong improvements in its media and communications profile, with media trustworthiness advancing six ranks to 12^th globally and influential media climbing five ranks to 23^rd. The nation's perceived generosity has also seen a remarkable improvement, rising 13 ranks from 62^nd to 49^th globally. In the Culture & Heritage pillar, Austria climbed two ranks to 18^th, supported by its enduring reputation for rich heritage (13^th globally) and as a great place to visit (17^th globally).

However, Austria has declined six ranks for perceived ease of communication (from 11^th to 17^th) and similarly dropped six ranks for being perceived as fun (from 65^th to 71^st). These declines in the People & Values pillar, alongside a marginal weakening in Business & Trade perceptions, contributed to the overall slight decline in Austria's Soft Power score.

Cristobal Pohle Vazquez, Regional Lead DACH, Brand Finance, commented:

"Austria's stable performance in this year's Global Soft Power Index reflects the nation's enduring strengths in governance, culture, and quality of life. While the overall score saw a marginal decline, Austria has made significant strides in how it is perceived through its media landscape and environmental commitments. The substantial improvement in 'trustworthy media' rankings is particularly noteworthy at a time when media credibility is under scrutiny globally. Austria's combination of cultural heritage, political stability, and growing sustainability credentials positions it well to strengthen its Soft Power in the years ahead."

Global Insights: US Soft Power declines as China rises, while Japan overtakes the UK to take 3^rd place

The Global Soft Power Index 2026 highlights a broad global decline of nation brand perceptions, driven by economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension, and social pressures. Audiences worldwide are more cautious and more likely to scrutinise nations’ behaviour, leading to lower scores across the Index and echoing the trust erosion seen during the COVID-19 period.

Despite retaining 1^st place overall, the United States records the steepest overall decline among all nation brands ranked, driven by sharp declines in Reputation (26^th, -11) and key nation brand attributes amid international backlash to “America First” policies. Key declines are observed in friendliness (-32), generosity (-68), ease of doing business (-21), support for climate action (-16), political stability (-8), human rights (-10), and ethical standards (-4).  Nevertheless, the US retains its number one position for Familiarity and Influence, underpinned by continued global leadership in arts and entertainment (1^st), sport (3^rd), iconic brands (2^nd), innovation (3^rd), and space exploration (1^st).

China has consolidated its second-place position, overtaking the US for the first time in Reputation (18^th, +9), supported by improvements in People & Values, Governance, and Sustainable Future. China has reinforced perceptions in Business & Trade (2^nd, +2) and Education & Science (1^st, +2), ranking 1^st globally for ease of doing business, future growth potential, technology and innovation, and advanced science. It has also risen to 3^rd globally (+5) for perceptions of strong and stable economy, with these combined factors helping to sustain China’s high levels of Influence (2^nd) and Familiarity (4^th).

Japan’s rise to 3^rd, now overtaking the United Kingdom (4^th), exemplifies its ability to build Soft Power through a direct experience of the nation brand. Japan has maintained strengths in Business & Trade (1^st), Sustainable Future (1^st), Education & Science (2^nd), and Governance (2^nd), while tourism has boosted Familiarity (6^th, +1) and related attributes, including appealing lifestyle (4^th, +9), visit appeal (8^th, +3), friendliness (7^th, +12), and fun (21^st, +15).

Konrad Jagodzinski, Place Branding Director, Brand Finance, commented:

“The negative shift in the global mood highlights a critical lesson about Soft Power in 2026. Publics are increasingly sensitive to the alignment of values, actions, and outcomes. Nations that fail to demonstrate reliability, credibility, and impact face erosion not only in specific domains but also in broader international reputation and relevance. Soft power is not solely about visibility or size; it is about perception that a nation is delivering on promises implicit in its brand. Nations failing to uphold these promises are penalised by global audiences.”