the Kingdom ranked 13th globally out of 70 countries as the most competitive in the world, according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook report issued by the Global Competitiveness Center at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), which is one of the key competitiveness reports monitored and analyzed by the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business in coordination with relevant government agencies.
The Kingdom advanced four places in the 2026 edition, driven by improved performance across all the report’s main pillars (economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, infrastructure), as well as progress in 15 out of 20 sub-categories, placing it third among G20 countries.
Leaps Forward in the Competitiveness Report
His Excellency Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business, affirmed that the significant leaps recorded by the Kingdom in the Global Competitiveness Yearbook, and in reputable international indices, are the result of the guidance and support of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister—may God protect him—to achieve the economic growth and sustainable development sought by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The Kingdom ranks third globally
Meanwhile, the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) noted that the Kingdom’s leap in performance was due to its economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, infrastructure, and improvements in several sub-indicators, most notably international trade, employment, and business regulations. The Kingdom ranked third among G20 countries, behind the United States and China, outperforming all other G20 nations—according to the indicators measured by the report—in the areas of government efficiency and business efficiency.
Advancement in Economic Rankings
The report indicated that the Kingdom achieved positive performance across all major pillars, advancing in the economic performance pillar from 17th to(12), in the government efficiency category from 17th to 12th, and in the business efficiency category from 12th to 9th, and in the infrastructure pillar from 31st to 28th.
First Place in Trade Services Indicators
The economic reforms implemented in the Kingdom have contributed to the country ranking among the top three in 17 indicators, including first place globally in the following indicators: growth in trade services exports, terms of trade, banking and financial support for business activities, corporate cybersecurity, and number of Internet users (per 1,000 population), while it achieved second place globally in the following indicators: social cohesion; total early-stage entrepreneurial activity; understanding of the need for economic and social reforms; and public-private partnerships to support technological development. Additionally, the Kingdom ranked third globally in the following indicators: the adaptability of government policies to economic changes, the efficiency of public finances, the transparency of government policies, legislative support for business creation, the value system, regulatory compliance in the banking sector, and electricity costs for the industrial sector, in addition to ranking in the top 10 across 74 of 262 sub-indicators.
What the Executives Said
The results of the executive survey highlighted the factors contributing to the attractiveness of the Kingdom’s business environment, the most prominent of which were the dynamism of the Saudi economy, government efficiency, reliable infrastructure, policy stability and predictability, access to financing, quality of corporate governance, an effective legal environment, positive attitudes, and a business-friendly environment.
The Kingdom’s progress in the report’s findings is a continuation of the efforts made by the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business in collaboration with all relevant government agencies. The Kingdom’s data was updated and monitored in cooperation with the General Authority for Statistics and the relevant government agencies, alongside the implementation of 1,000 legislative, procedural, and technical reforms that have improved business efficiency and enhanced the Kingdom’s competitiveness, in addition to identifying and addressing challenges faced by the private sector and raising its awareness of government reforms, initiatives, and efforts.
It is worth noting that the World Competitiveness Yearbook, published by the World Competitiveness Center of the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland, is the only annual report that comprehensively measures the competitiveness of countries, in addition to serving as a reference for international organizations and institutions to compare the 70 most competitive countries worldwide.
