Spain consolidates its position among the countries with the best reputation in the world

The Diplomat Spain has consolidated its position in 2026 as one of the countries with the best reputation in the world, according to the international analysis RepCore® Nations 2026, developed by Reputation Lab and presented this Tuesday in Madrid. “In a context marked by geopolitical uncertainty, polarization, and international conflicts, Spain’s reputation demonstrates greater resilience than the average of major economies and improves two positions in the international ranking,” reveals the report, which was presented this Tuesday at the Cupra City Garage in Madrid by the Spanish Leading Brands Forum (FMRE) and Reputation Lab, with the collaboration of Next Education. The average reputation of the 60 largest economies in the world has decreased by 0.9 points in 2026. Of the 60 countries analyzed, 43 have seen their reputation index worsen, three remain stable, and only 14 have improved. Japan climbs seven places to become the country with the best reputation in the world for the first time. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Israel registers the largest drop in the reputation index. The United States and China maintain weak reputations, while Russia continues to be among the countries with the worst reputations. “Ethics and Responsibility” and “Institutional Quality” remain the dimensions that most influence a country's reputation, while attributes such as technological development are gaining relevance. Spain Although Spain's reputation index also registers a slight decline, it has demonstrated “greater resilience than the international average, allowing it to move from 14th to 12th place and consolidate its position among the countries with the best reputations in the world,” according to the study. The country scores above the average of the 60 largest economies in all 22 attributes of the RepCore® Nations model, “a result that very few countries achieve.” Its main strengths are concentrated in lifestyle, leisure, culture and gastronomy, safety, respect for human rights, social welfare, and cultural heritage. Spain also excels in “Ethics and Responsibility” and “Institutional Quality,” the two dimensions that currently exert the greatest influence on a country's reputation. The strength of Spain's reputation is also reflected in its ability to attract tourists, investment, and talent, and to foster the internationalization of its companies and strategic sectors. “Spain today possesses one of the most valuable assets for competing in the global economy: an extraordinarily solid international reputation,” stated Fernando Prado, partner at Reputation Lab, during the event. “Maintaining it and turning it into a competitive advantage requires continuing to strengthen what international public opinion values most, such as ethics and responsibility, but also achieving greater visibility for our brands and the quality of our products,” he added. The main new feature of RepCore® Nations 2026 is the incorporation of the Made in Score, a new indicator developed by Reputation Lab to measure the value that the country of origin brings to products and services. The analyses show a very high correlation between a country's reputation and the value that its origin brings to companies, brands, and products. In turn, a stronger Made in Score is associated with a greater preference for those products and a greater willingness to pay a premium for them. In the case of Spain, the value of "Made in Spain" is lower than one would expect for a country with such a strong international reputation. Therefore, according to the report's authors, "strengthening the perception of the quality of Spanish products and services, the awareness of Spanish companies and brands, and Spain's positioning as a technologically advanced country constitutes one of the main opportunities to increase the competitive value of "Made in Spain." "Leading companies have a key role to play, spearheading, along with public administrations, the effort to project Spanish quality, innovation, and technological capabilities, and to ensure that 'Made in Spain' becomes increasingly decisive in purchasing decisions," warned Pablo López Gil, CEO of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that direct experiences with a country contribute positively to building its reputation, while news reports are the only point of contact that, in aggregate, has a negative effect. Therefore, visiting Spain, consuming Spanish products, doing business with Spanish companies, or interacting with its citizens significantly strengthens the country's international perception. “Every company that exports, every professional who works with international partners, every researcher, every athlete, and every citizen who interacts with foreign visitors contributes, in one way or another, to building Spain's reputation,” stated Natalia Arenzana, partner at Reputation Lab.

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