The 2026 World Press Freedom Index shows that global press freedom continues to deteriorate, with the average score hitting a 25-year low. More than half of the countries are classified as “Difficult” or “Very Serious,” marking the worst situation on record.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN (MERXWIRE) – According to the 2026 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the global environment for press freedom continues to deteriorate. The average score across 180 assessed countries and territories has fallen to its lowest level in 25 years. Notably, this is the first time that more than half of the world’s countries have been classified as “Difficult” or “Very Serious,” indicating that journalists are facing rapidly increasing challenges and that the free flow of information is under unprecedented pressure.
RSF defines press freedom as the ability of journalists and media outlets to independently collect, produce, and disseminate news in the public interest without interference from political, economic, legal, or social factors, and in a safe environment. The ranking is based on five indicators: political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context, and security, each scored from 0 to 100 and contributing equally to the final score.
In this year’s rankings, Norway remains in first place with a score of 92.72, marking its tenth consecutive year at the top. The Netherlands, Estonia, Denmark, and Sweden rank second to fifth. The top ten is almost entirely dominated by European countries, reflecting the region’s highly developed and stable press freedom systems. Finland, Ireland, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Portugal rank sixth to tenth.
World Press Freedom Index 2026 – Top 10 Countries
| Rank | Country | Overall Score | Political Score | Economic Score | Legal Score | Sociocultural Score | Security Score | Rank Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 92.72 | 95.98 | 87.22 | 91.76 | 92.19 | 96.46 | 0 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 88.92 | 89.31 | 85.38 | 90.68 | 87.70 | 91.52 | +1 |
| 3 | Estonia | 88.54 | 90.29 | 75.33 | 89.25 | 92.33 | 95.53 | -1 |
| 4 | Denmark | 88.47 | 91.79 | 79.51 | 86.56 | 88.79 | 95.69 | +2 |
| 5 | Sweden | 87.61 | 89.61 | 81.67 | 88.82 | 84.53 | 93.41 | -1 |
| 6 | Finland | 86.22 | 89.16 | 78.68 | 85.62 | 83.59 | 94.05 | -1 |
| 7 | Ireland | 85.93 | 90.50 | 76.59 | 80.82 | 86.20 | 95.54 | 0 |
| 8 | Switzerland | 84.83 | 89.65 | 70.67 | 82.74 | 85.86 | 95.24 | +1 |
| 9 | Luxembourg | 84.14 | 86.07 | 72.44 | 81.83 | 84.08 | 96.25 | +4 |
| 10 | Portugal | 83.71 | 86.76 | 62.25 | 85.86 | 89.29 | 94.40 | -2 |
The Americas recorded some of the most significant changes this year. The United States fell seven places to 64th with a score of 62.61. RSF notes that US media continue to face rising political polarization, safety risks for journalists, and economic pressures on news organizations. Conditions in several Latin American countries have also worsened, with Ecuador dropping 31 places to 125th and Peru falling 14 places to 144th, reflecting ongoing violence and political interference in the region.
Asia shows strong divergence in performance. Japan ranks 62nd, while South Korea rises 14 places to 47th, making it one of the most improved countries in the region. However, several Asian countries remain near the bottom, including India at 157th, Vietnam at 174th, and China at 178th, ranking only above North Korea and Eritrea.
At the bottom of the rankings, Eritrea remains last for the third consecutive year with a score of 10.24. North Korea ranks second to last with 12.67, followed by China with 13.85. These countries are characterized by strict media control, censorship, and information restrictions, making independent journalism extremely difficult.
Notably, Syria recorded the largest improvement this year, rising 36 places to 141st following political changes after the end of the Assad era, making it one of the most notable cases of the year. However, its overall score remains low at 39.44, indicating that press freedom conditions remain far from international standards.
RSF notes that among the five evaluation indicators, the legal framework has seen the most significant decline, reflecting tightening legal environments in many countries in recent years. The report also highlights that legal tools and regulatory measures related to national security have been increasingly introduced in some regions, placing additional pressure on press freedom.
Press freedom is not only about the media industry itself but also a fundamental pillar of democratic governance and social transparency. When legal restrictions increase, media economic conditions deteriorate, and journalists face safety threats, the public’s right to access accurate information is also affected. The 2026 World Press Freedom Index shows that global press freedom is facing a severe challenge, making the protection of media independence and information transparency a shared global concern.
