World Watch List 2026 is an annual report that maps the state of religious freedom for Christians and the persecution they face around the world. The report is published by Open Doors, an international and politically non-aligned aid organization that supports persecuted Christians in more than 70 countries. The report covers 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution because of their faith, and its reporting period extends from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025.
World Watch List 2026 shows that persecution against Christians continues to intensify globally. Only in a few Southeast Asian countries has the situation of religious freedom improved, but overall the trend is negative. Particularly in the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, forms of persecution have become increasingly violent and systematic.
North Korea once again tops the list and has been the most dangerous country for Christians almost uninterruptedly for three decades. Practising Christianity can lead to imprisonment, forced labour or even execution, and persecution often also targets Christians’ family members.
Syria is the report’s most significant riser and now ranks sixth – for the first time this high since 2017. Following the change of regime, the country has seen an increase in both violence and pressure: attacks against churches and Christian institutions, religious coercion and legislative Islamisation have led to large-scale emigration of Christians. The number of Christians in the country has declined sharply over the past decade.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicentre of deadly violence against Christians. Sudan, Nigeria and Mali received maximum scores for violence in the report. In Nigeria in particular, Christians account for a clear majority of those killed and abducted because of their faith, and statistics show they are at significantly greater risk than other population groups.
Alongside physical violence, Christians in many countries face pressure through legislation, surveillance and restrictions. Churches have been closed, religious activities restricted and communities driven underground. Positive exceptions are few, but in some countries violence has decreased or legal proceedings have been reopened.
The report’s overall assessment is clear: religious freedom for Christians continues to deteriorate in most parts of the world, and persecution is increasingly both violent and structurally supported.
Fides / opendoors.fi