Soft Power Rankings 2025: UAE Leads Middle East, Africa Shows Progress

The Global Soft Power Index is an annual report by Brand Finance that evaluates 193 nations based on insights from 173,000 respondents, including policymakers, business leaders, and civil society members. The index ranks nations from the world based on factors such as international relations, governance, business, innovation, and cultural influence. This year the report came and according to the report by Brand Finance, “The United States and China are the most influential Soft Power nations in the world. The UK is ranked 3rd, followed by Japan (4th), and Germany (5th).”

USA retains the top spot with a record score of 79.5 but drops in global reputation rankings. Apart from these insights, the report attracted attention when it became clear that Middle Eastern countries have lost soft power momentum, except for the United Arab Emirates. The report shows that the UAE remains in 10th place.

The government media house shared this update via the official X page:

Middle Eastern nations’ status declined, but UAE remains strong in the soft power race:

Brand Finance highlighted that the United Arab Emirates has set a new milestone in global influence by securing the 10th position in the Global Soft Power Index 2025. This reflects the rise in the international standing of the UAE. This also reflects how the UAE is working hard in the direction of boosting its diplomatic, economic, and technological powers.

How does the UAE Stand Out in the 2025 Rankings?

Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum shared a detailed tweet about this report. They highlighted the key categories where the UAE performed excellently.

He also appreciated Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, for the development model of UAE.

After deep-diving into the report we find that there are several key sectors where UAE has performed well and secured a notable position. This is the point of discussion in Western media houses as well, as the UAE is giving tough competition to leading global powers.

Category	UAE’s Rank (2025)	Top-Ranked Country
Future Growth Potential	4th	China
Generosity	4th	United States
Strong and Stable Economy	7th	United States
Influence	8th	United States
International Relations	9th	China
Influence in Diplomatic Circles	9th	United States
Advanced Technology and Innovation	9th	Japan
Investment in Space Exploration	10th	United States
Affairs Followed Closely	10th	United States

Where did the Global Leaders stand in the Global Soft Power Index Report 2025?

These reports include the most influential nations of the world European and Asian economies. Let’s have a look at where they stand. 

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The US remains in first place, but the ranking highlights a key shift in global influence, with China overtaking the UK for the first time. According to ECNS “The UK’s drop to third place reflects a period of stagnation in its nation brand perception. While scores remain relatively stable, a lack of progress across key pillars, especially in business and trade where it ranks sixth, and governance where it ranks third, suggests that the UK should bolster its soft power strategy.”

We prepared a table detailing the top 20 countries in the 2025 report:

Rank	Country	Highlights From the Report
1	United States	The US scored 79.5 out of 100. It is leading in familiarity and influence, but facing a decline in global reputation, dropping to 15th place.
2	China	Reports suggest that it surpassed the UK to claim second place with a score of 72.8, its highest ranking to date.
3	United Kingdom	Dropped to third place, reflecting its decline in global position.
4	Japan	Maintained a strong position due to economic stability and cultural influence.
5	Germany	Held fifth place, reinforcing its diplomatic strength and innovation leadership.
6	France	Recognized for its cultural diplomacy and soft power initiatives.
7	Canada	Benefited from a positive international reputation.
8	Switzerland	Known for neutrality, financial leadership, and stability.
9	Sweden	Impressed with its social model, sustainability efforts, and innovation.
10	United Arab Emirates	Entered the top 10, with its nation brand value increasing from $1 trillion to $1.223 trillion.
11	Netherlands	Noted for its progressive policies and strong international trade relations.
12	Australia	Valued for its quality of life and robust educational system.
13	South Korea	Gained recognition through cultural exports and technological advancements.
14	Italy	Celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and influence in fashion and design.
15	Norway	Commended for its high standard of living and commitment to environmental sustainability.
16	Denmark	Acknowledged for its welfare system and contributions to renewable energy.
17	Singapore	Praised for its efficient governance and status as a global financial hub.
18	New Zealand	Known for its pristine environment and progressive social policies.
19	Finland	Recognized for its education system and technological innovation.
20	Spain	Esteemed for its cultural festivals and historical landmarks.

Though UAE is performing well, what is making UAE the best destination? If we analyze, then we find over the years the UAE has enhanced its soft power skills such as economic diversification and working towards shifting its economy from oil to technology, finance, and renewable energy. UAE took several steps to diversify cultural events, UAE is working in the direction of joining hands with other nations and helping them in critical situations by offering relief and development aid. This nation is attracting global investors, startups, and talent with policies like Golden Visas. Climate leadership & work in space is another pillar the world witnessed the fruitful COP28 and space missions in advancing lunar and Mars missions.

What we are analyzing is that the UAE is not just rising; it is shaping the future of global leadership.

Where do the African Nations stand?

According to the report South Africa strengthened its perceived global standing on key metrics. climbed two ranks to 41st globally. Apart from S.A. nations from Africa such as Nigeria, (77th), Ghana, (90th), Kenya, (92nd) the Ivory Coast (94th), and Tanzania (95th) all rank among the top 100 Soft Power nations.

Jeremy Sampson, Chairman, of Brand Finance Africa, stated “South Africa has made notable progress across several key metrics of Soft Power, reflecting its efforts to enhance its global image and strengthen its nation brand. Governance, safety, and people – historically challenging areas for the South African nation brand – are seeing improved perceptions. The country has risen 31 ranks for being perceived as ‘safe and secure,’ and 22 ranks for its ‘trustworthy people.’ While there is still a great deal of work to be done, these advancements, combined with South Africa’s growing economic competitiveness, position the nation to further enhance its reputation and attractiveness in the years to come.”

More about the Global Soft Power Index:

This year the top 10 nations gained an average of 0.9 points in their soft power scores but the bottom 10 nations saw a sharp decline of 3.0 points, widening the soft power gap.