WCR 2026: European countries dominate top global citizenship rankings

The 2026 World Citizenship Report has ranked Ireland, Switzerland and Denmark as the world’s leading countries for citizenship, with European nations securing the top three positions.

The report, published by CS Global Partners, also revealed that more than 71% of high-net-worth individuals are planning for second citizenship in response to growing political instability and global uncertainty.

The annual World Citizenship Report assessed 188 countries across five key areas: safety and security, economic opportunity, quality of life, global mobility and financial freedom.

Overall, Ireland ranked first overall with a score of 85.1, followed by Switzerland with 83.2 and Denmark with 82.8. The report also showed that European countries dominated the rankings, taking 18 of the top 25 spots.

The other countries in the top 25 include Australia (81.6), Norway (81.6), Germany (81.3), Finland (81.0), Japan (80.8), Sweden (80.1), Netherlands (80.0), United Kingdom (80.0), Luxembourg (79.4), Iceland (78.8), Austria (78.5), Belgium (78.5), Singapore (78.5), Korea (Republic) (77.2), Canada (77.1), Czech Republic (76.9), Liechtenstein (76.8), United States of America (76.8), Hong Kong (SAR China) (76.5), France (76.2), Portugal (76.1), and Estonia (75.9).

More wealthy people are now getting second citizenship because of growing political instability and global uncertainty. Many see this as a way to travel more easily, protect their finances and access better opportunities around the world.

Countries were ranked across five key areas including quality of life, safety and economic opportunity.

Quality of Life:

Germany ranked first in the 2026 Quality of Life category with a score of 90.6. It was followed by Norway at 90.2 and Switzerland at 89.7. The ranking is based on healthcare, the environment, social infrastructure and life expectancy, reflecting overall living standards and well-being.

Security and security:

Iceland ranked first in the 2026 Safety and Security category with a score of 90.5. Switzerland followed with 88.4, while Denmark placed third with 88.0. The ranking is based on crime levels, strength of institutions, rule of law, political stability and public trust.

Economic opportunity:

China ranked first in the Economic Opportunity category with a score of 89.3. The United States followed with 81.3, while Ireland placed third with 80.3. The ranking is based on market size, financial systems, innovation and access to major global markets.

Global mobility:

Singapore ranked first in the Global Mobility category with a score of 91.0, thanks to its strong visa-free and visa-on-arrival access. Japan and South Korea were tied in second place with 89.6, followed by Denmark at 88.9 along with several other European countries. The ranking is based on international travel access and visa agreements.

Financial Freedom:

Singapore topped the Financial Freedom rankings with a score of 84.2, followed by Denmark at 84.0 and Finland at 82.3. The category measures transparency, stability of institutions, openness of financial systems and overall economic reliability.