Switzerland rises to 7th globally, leading world in Reputation and Governance with ten #1 attribute rankings in Global Soft Power Index 2026

• Switzerland climbs one place to 7^th globally, overtaking Canada to become the highest-ranked nation outside the G7
• Maintains world #1 rankings in both Reputation and Governance pillars, with ten individual #1 attribute rankings
• US holds top spot in Global Soft Power Index despite broad declines; Japan overtakes the UK for 3^rd

LONDON, 20 January 2026 – Switzerland has risen one position to 7^th in the global Soft Power rankings, according to the new iteration of the Global Soft Power Index by Brand Finance. Despite a slight decline in overall score from 64.9 to 63.2 out of 100, Switzerland overtook Canada to become the highest-ranked nation outside the G7, maintaining its world-leading positions in Reputation and Governance while boasting an unparalleled ten #1 attribute rankings globally.

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.

Switzerland's dominance in global perceptions is reflected in its extraordinary ten #1 attribute rankings. The nation leads the world for its strong and stable economy, great place to visit, lifestyle appeal, being politically stable and well-governed, high ethical standards and low corruption, safety and security, good relations with other countries, trustworthy media, trustworthiness, and acting to protect the environment. This breadth of top-ranked attributes is unmatched by any other nation in the Index.

Marco Casanova, Chair, Brand Finance Switzerland commented:

"Switzerland's rise to 7^th place and its extraordinary collection of ten #1 attribute rankings demonstrate the enduring power of a nation brand built on trust, stability, and quality. While the overall score declined slightly in line with global trends affecting many top-ranked nations, Switzerland's core strengths in governance, reputation, and great place to visit remain unassailable. The nation's ability to lead globally across such diverse metrics as economic stability, tourism appeal, safety, and environmental action represents a remarkable achievement in national branding."

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.”