Ireland retains top spot in 2026 World Citizenship rankings as Europe continues to dominate

Ireland has retained the top spot in the 2026 World Citizenship Report released by CS Global Partners. This development has once again reinforced Europe’s dominance in global citizenship rankings as wealthy individuals are increasingly prioritising stability, quality of life and long-term security.

Switzerland ranked second followed by Denmark in third while Australia and Norway shared fourth place. Germany, Finland, Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom also made the top ten.

The report, which every year evaluates 188 jurisdictions across safety and security, economic opportunity, quality of life, global mobility and financial freedom, found that Western countries continue to dominate the overall rankings. European nations, together with countries from the Anglosphere, claimed 18 of the top 20 positions.

Europe dominates the global rankings

Ireland scored 85.1 overall ahead of Switzerland at 83.2 and Denmark at 82.8. Australia and Norway both scored 81.6 while Germany followed closely at 81.3.

The report says the global wealthy are no longer treating citizenship as just a travel document. Instead, it has become a long-term strategy for protecting families, assets, education opportunities and future mobility in a world marked by political instability and economic uncertainty.

One of the clearest trends in the report was Europe’s continued strength in quality of life and security. Germany overtook Norway to take first place in the Quality of Life category with a score of 90.6 and it was helped by strong healthcare systems, environmental standards and public infrastructure.

Iceland ranked as the world’s safest country ahead of Switzerland and Denmark, with the report highlighting low crime rates, institutional stability and strong rule of law.

Asia emerges as the centre of economic power

While Europe dominated overall, Asia emerged as the centre of economic and mobility power. China topped the Economic Opportunity rankings with a score of 89.3 followed by the United States and Ireland. Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan and Vietnam also featured strongly which further reflected the growing shift of economic momentum toward emerging markets.

Singapore claimed the number one spot in Global Mobility with a score of 91.0 while Japan and South Korea tied for second place.

Political instability drives demand for second citizenships

One of the report’s strongest findings was the growing demand for second citizenships as a form of long-term risk management. More than 71% of respondents said recent global events made them more likely to consider obtaining another citizenship or residency. Only 2.7% said they were less likely to do so.

The report clearly mentioned that second citizenships are no longer viewed mainly as travel tools or tax advantages. Instead, they are increasingly seen as protection against political instability, economic shocks and policy uncertainty.

Family security and generational protection ranked as the top reasons for pursuing additional citizenship and these two factors stayed ahead of investment diversification and business expansion.

Citizenship becomes part of wealth planning

According to the report, wealthy families are now treating citizenship as part of broader financial and lifestyle planning. Around 15% of survey respondents already hold dual citizenship while another 5% hold three or more citizenships.

The report noted that globally mobile individuals are increasingly building what it described as “citizenship portfolios” to improve access to education, healthcare, business opportunities and mobility across multiple countries.

It added that citizenship has evolved from a legal status into a strategic asset in an era marked by geopolitical tension, economic fragmentation and growing uncertainty.