Soft power is a nation’s ability to shape opinion through attraction and persuasion rather than force. It can include everything from its perceived lifestyle to its visibility within international institutions – and a positive national image is becoming ever more important for securing investment, growing exports, and building alliances. 

The annual Global Soft Power Index (GSPI) is compiled by marketing consultancy Brand Finance, and it draws on the perceptions of over 170,000 respondents worldwide. It gives countries a score of up to 100 according to key performance indicators such as familiarity and reputation, and 35 national "brand attributes." It also awards medals for outstanding achievement. 

Click or scroll on to discover how the top 20 countries fare in this year’s GSPI and why some are finding it easier than others to win hearts and minds. 

Qatar has jumped two places in the 2026 GSPI. The tiny desert enclave, which hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, scores well for Reputation, Business & Trade, and Familiarity, but it’s let down by Media & Communications, despite being the headquarters of global news giant Al Jazeera.

It’s one of several Gulf nations that have made huge advances in soft power in the last few years, as development and economic diversification transform them from mere sources of hydrocarbons into tourist, business, and education hubs.

Good governance underpins Norway’s soft power, with the home of the Nobel Peace Prize widely perceived as politically stable and respectful of law and human rights. Accordingly, Reputation is its highest-scoring performance indicator, with Familiarity and Business & Trade the next best metrics. 

Another high-scoring area is the Sustainable Future category, reflecting very positive perceptions of Norway’s environmental stewardship. It’s a country that generates most of its electricity from renewable sources and is moving rapidly toward 100% of new cars being electric too. However, the fact that Norway remains a big exporter of fossil fuels may detract from this clean image.

Another small European country, Denmark’s best-performing areas are Reputation, followed by Business & Trade. The former should come as no surprise given that Transparency International has awarded it the status of the world’s least corrupt country for eight years in a row. It’s also officially one of the happiest nations. 

Among its lowest scores this year is Influence, which could change – or not – depending on the eventual outcome of its spat with President Trump over Greenland.

Saudi Arabia is another fast-developing Gulf state that's seen its soft power ranking jump this year, and it's up three places. Its best score is for Familiarity, followed by Business & Trade, while it performs less well on Culture & Heritage and Media & Communications. 

In recent years, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has tried to distance the country from religious and cultural extremism in an attempt to court international investment. The Kingdom famously ended its ban on women driving cars in 2018, and it’s even introduced a general tourist visa and relaxed its dress code for foreign women.

Australia is one of several Western nation brands to fall this year, in its case by two places. Nonetheless, it boasts a widely envied lifestyle, prosperous society, and a reputation for being competitive and successful in global sports and beyond. In terms of the GSPI, its best scores are found in the Familiarity, Reputation, and Business & Trade categories.

It’s a long way for much of the world to travel Down Under, yet it remains a major tourist draw, renowned for unique flora and fauna – not least the Great Barrier Reef. Meanwhile, Australians enjoy an indomitable image thanks to their country’s often unforgiving outback environment. One downside is its cities’ inability, so far, to match counterparts in Europe and North America when it comes to history and the arts, which is reflected in a relatively low Culture & Heritage score. 

The Netherlands' score has dropped this year, but it retains the 15th spot with a middling performance, scoring highest in the Business & Trade category.  

Famed for its liberal attitudes to personal freedom, gender, sexuality, and even matters like euthanasia, the small country has made its progressive society a soft power asset. But it also punches above its weight in international affairs, hosting the International Court of Justice at The Hague and supplying the current NATO Secretary General (its former prime minister Mark Rutte, pictured).

Russia is up two places this year, despite continuing condemnation for its war of aggression in Ukraine. Familiarity, Influence, and Education & Science are its top-scoring performance indicators. 

The explanation for Russia’s favorable position might be found in positive images of it among its allies, even as most Western nations take another view. The 2026 SPGI suggests that assertiveness and tightly controlled narratives, even when underpinned by propaganda, can create an inflated impression of influence.

Like other Scandinavian and Nordic countries, Sweden is widely associated with good governance, human rights, high levels of development, and low levels of inequality. However, like other Western nations, it has fallen down the rankings this year, dropping two places. 

It’s a good performance all round though, with eight medals, including gold for supporting global efforts to counter climate change.

Spain's overall score has fallen marginally, but it holds onto 12th place. It gets an excellent score in the Familiarity performance indicator, while Reputation and Culture & Heritage are also high. It also secures three medals. 

Spain’s economy is doing much better than its eurozone counterparts, buoyed by tourism and renewable energy investments. Meanwhile, it boasts strong cultural influence too, stemming from its geographical links to Africa and the Americas and its language, which is the fourth most widely spoken in the world. 

Liking this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveMONEY

South Korea, ranked 11th, is one of the fastest-improving nations, having risen four places in the past two years, despite President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law, his subsequent impeachment, and the constitutional crisis that followed. In fact, it turns out these events could even have helped its image: despite Yoon’s abortive maneuver potentially causing damage to trust and confidence, some people might perceive the nation’s swift reaction to it as a demonstration of democratic resilience.

Beyond that, the East Asian economic hotspot has garnered a reputation for being a center of cutting-edge technology and advanced science, while brands such as Kia, Hyundai, Samsung, and LG carry its name around the world. Culturally, the global appeal of K-pop and Korean film, TV, and food has further boosted its profile.

The UAE holds onto 10th place, despite its score falling by a point, and remains the Middle East’s strongest performer. Strong positive perceptions of its Business & Trade and Reputation are behind the good news. In fact, it’s seen as one of the best countries globally for ease of doing business. 

The former desert outpost is now home to over 10 million people and increasingly seen as an international hub for business, education, sport, and the arts. A global airline and mega developments like the world’s tallest skyscraper, the 830-metre Burj Khalifa (pictured) help keep the tiny but increasingly significant country in the public eye. 

Like the UAE, Italy holds onto its position despite a moderate drop in its score. Italy’s top-scoring areas are Familiarity and Culture & Heritage, as you might expect from a country that plays host to the Vatican and is known for its compelling history, cuisine, and more. Home of La Dolce Vita, it's won medals for its food and friendliness. Its weaker areas are Governance and Media & Communications. 

The country remains in a tight spot economically, but Italian companies still prevail globally, with luxury brands like Gucci and Armani lending an air of glamour to the Italian image. And if Italian industry travels well overseas, the rest of the world is also traveling to Italy, as it’s the fifth-biggest tourist destination on the planet. From fashion to football to Ferrari sports cars, Italy is in the soft power fast lane.

Canada's score has fallen by two points, and it's dropped down a place to eighth. It does very well in its medal tally though, with 14 awards, while Business & Trade, International Relations, and Familiarity are its highest-scoring categories. 

Some of these attributes might now be at risk, though, as Canada falls out with its more powerful neighbor to the south. Donald Trump has blasted the nation for allegedly allowing illegal drugs, including fentanyl, into the US, and Ottawa has hit back at US tariffs with its own trade restrictions.

As reliably excellent as one of its own top-quality watches, seventh-ranked Switzerland wins more medals for its soft power than any other nation, with no fewer than 17 golds, including for Reputation, Governance, and Trust. The Swiss are perceived as embodying stability and ethics, along with strong economic performance, safety, and trusted institutions. Particularly for such a small country, this is a stellar result.  

Switzerland also almost completely dominates Brand Finance’s "recommendation" categories in which people advocate the best places to work, invest, visit, and buy from. It came second only to the UK as a place recommended for study and behind Japan as a nation recommended for buying products and services from.

France clings on to sixth place, despite an almost three-point fall in its overall score. As a country that’s given the world enduring national symbols such as "liberté, égalité, fraternité," the Louvre, fine wines, new wave cinema, fashion and, last but not least, crème brûlée, France has no shortage of soft power. 

The country scores highest in the Familiarity, Business & Trade, and Culture & Heritage categories, while its lowest mark comes in Governance, suggesting that ongoing political turmoil is beginning to take its toll.

Like France, Germany clings to its place in the ranking despite a significant drop in its overall score. Brand Finance suggests the two nations are victims of weakening perceptions of economic strength, innovation, and influence

This year, Germany sees declines in its Business & Trade, International Relations, and Governance scores. Much of the country’s soft power future may depend on its ability to navigate the various crises in US-European relations, the Ukraine conflict, and its own society and politics.

The UK held second place in the rankings since they began, dropping to third spot a few years back. This year, the decline continues, and it falls to its lowest-ever position. The country's Reputation score has fallen to sixth overall globally, with softening scores across every single index measure. Brand Finance suggests the UK's dwindling ability to drive global narratives is a significant factor.

Still, the country excels at projecting soft power through institutions like the BBC World Service and, of course, the Royal Family. British education is valued globally and draws significant numbers of foreign students, while the country punches above its weight in arts and leisure in everything from pop music to the Premier League. 

Overtaking the UK is Japan, despite a drop in its overall score. The country is now first when it comes to Business & Trade and Sustainable Future, also placing first for Loved Brands and second for Economic Stability.

Japan has long built its reputation on modernity and technological ingenuity, but its image is also that of a traditional culture with a respected history and well-established customs. Since 1945, it’s come to be known as a country that eschews military confrontation too, having renounced war in its constitution. However, that particular image is coming under pressure as the country responds to the growing Chinese presence in the Pacific. 

China has been working hard to bolster its soft power in recent years, and these strategic efforts seem to be paying off, with a tally of 17 medals this year. Many of its performance indicator scores are seeing significant increases: Reputation, Business & Trade, and Education & Science all achieve high marks. What’s more, it now outperforms the mighty US when it comes to Reputation.

China is now second globally for Business & Trade and first for Education & Science. It also tops the pile when it comes to ease of doing business, future growth potential, technology and innovation, and advanced science. Meanwhile, it rises to third globally for perceptions of a strong and stable economy. As Brand Finance notes, this is the most influential driver of soft power.

America may top the soft power charts again this year, but the gap to China is narrowing after its overall score fell by 4.6 points. That's the sharpest overall decline of all 193 nations Brand Finance tracks. The index firmly attributes the country's declining soft power to the "Trump effect," with international backlash greeting his "America First" policies. Indeed, the country has experienced huge drops in its scores for generosity, good relations with other countries, and friendliness.

However, America is still first when it comes to Influence and Familiarity, and remains dominant in culture, sport, technology, space exploration, and diplomatic reach. It continues to be the world's soft power superpower, for now.

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveMONEY

Now discover the countries with the most millionaires, ranked