Saudi Arabia Advances to 13th Globally in 2026 IMD Competitiveness Index, Secures 3rd Among G20 Economies

Saudi Arabia has made notable strides in the global competitiveness landscape, as reflected in the 2026 International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Yearbook. The Kingdom advanced four positions to rank 13th among 70 economies worldwide and secured third place among G20 countries, trailing only the United States and China.

This upward movement underscores Saudi Arabia’s ongoing economic transformation and long-term reform initiatives aimed at enhancing productivity, governance, and investment attractiveness. The IMD yearbook, a leading benchmark for national competitiveness, tracks performance across four key factors: Economic Performance, Government Efficiency, Business Efficiency, and Infrastructure. Saudi Arabia demonstrated improvements in all these areas.

Specifically, the Kingdom improved its global standing in Economic Performance and Government Efficiency from 17th to 12th place. Business Efficiency rose from 12th to 9th, while Infrastructure advanced from 31st to 28th place. These gains were driven by strong progress in international trade, employment, and business legislation, according to IMD.

Saudi Arabia also enhanced its performance in 15 of the 20 sub-factors assessed by the yearbook. It outperformed all other G20 countries in Government Efficiency and Business Efficiency, reflecting effective governance and a conducive business environment.

Beyond overall rankings, Saudi Arabia achieved top-three global positions in 17 individual criteria. The Kingdom ranked first worldwide in Commercial Services Exports Growth, Terms of Trade, Banking and Financial Services, Cybersecurity, and Internet Users per Thousand Population. It secured second place globally in Social Cohesion, Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity, Understanding the Need for Economic and Social Reforms, and Public-Private Partnerships supporting technological development.

Additional third-place global rankings included Government Adaptability to Economic Changes, Public Finance, Transparency of Government Policy, Firm Creation supported by legislation, Value System, Regulatory Compliance in banking laws, and Electricity Costs for Industrial Clients. Overall, Saudi Arabia ranked within the global top 10 in 74 of the 262 criteria evaluated, demonstrating the breadth and depth of its competitiveness improvements.

The IMD Executive Opinion Survey further highlighted the Kingdom’s growing attractiveness as a business destination. Survey respondents praised the dynamism of the Saudi economy, government effectiveness, high-quality infrastructure, policy stability, access to finance, strong corporate governance, an effective legal framework, positive societal attitudes, and an increasingly business-friendly environment.

These factors collectively signal a strengthening investment climate underpinned by sustained reform momentum. The Saudi Competitiveness and Business Center, in collaboration with government partners and the General Authority for Statistics, plays a central role in monitoring and enhancing national competitiveness. This includes implementing over 1,000 legislative, procedural, and technical reforms aimed at addressing private-sector challenges and raising awareness of government initiatives.

The IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook remains one of the most respected global benchmarks, assessing 70 economies across a comprehensive set of criteria. Saudi Arabia’s steady ascent in this ranking reflects its commitment to economic diversification and reform aligned with Vision 2030 objectives.

Additional recent developments underscore the Kingdom’s economic dynamism, including a 14-spot rise to 13th place in global intellectual property rights enforcement, commerce growth with a 51 percent GDP share in 2025, and social responsibility initiatives exceeding $1.33 billion to boost development impact.

Saudi Arabia’s performance in the IMD competitiveness index exemplifies its strategic positioning as a leading economy in the Middle East and a competitive player on the global stage.