Key takeaways
- The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is still #1 at roughly 828 meters (~2,717 ft) — the tallest completed building on Earth since 2010, and unmatched in 2026.
- Jeddah Tower is the building to watch: designed to top 1,000 meters, it is under construction in Saudi Arabia and set to dethrone the Burj Khalifa once finished — but it is not complete, so it is not in this ranking.
- Malaysia's Merdeka 118 is #2 at about 679 meters, the tallest building in Southeast Asia.
- Mainland China holds five of the top ten — including the Shanghai Tower (~632 m), Ping An Finance Center (~599 m), and CITIC Tower (~528 m).
- Every height here is a best-available estimate as of 2026, based on CTBUH "architectural top" figures. Verify before citing.
The race for the sky has a clear leader and a clear challenger. In 2026, the list of the tallest buildings in the world 2026 is still headed by Dubai's Burj Khalifa at roughly 828 meters — a record it has held since 2010 — but the ground is shifting. In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Jeddah Tower is rising toward a planned 1,000 meters, which would make it the first building designed to break the one-kilometer mark and end the Burj Khalifa's reign. This is a height-ranked countdown of the ten tallest completed skyscrapers on the planet, measured by "height to architectural top" — the standard used by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). Every figure is a best-available estimate, rounded and expressed as an approximate value, because measurement methods differ by a meter or two and under-construction giants keep changing the picture. Last updated: July 2026.
How these buildings are ranked
Ranking skyscrapers sounds simple until you ask "measured how?" The most widely accepted standard comes from CTBUH, which ranks by height to architectural top: the structural and architectural top of the building, including permanent spires, but excluding antennas, signage, flagpoles, and other temporary or functional equipment. That single rule explains most of the surprises on this list — a slender decorative spire counts toward the record, while a broadcast antenna generally does not. Heights below are given in meters (the global standard) with feet in parentheses, and all are approximate 2026 figures.
1. Burj Khalifa — ~828 m (Dubai, UAE)
The Burj Khalifa stands at an official ~828 meters (2,717 ft) and has been the world's tallest building since it opened in January 2010. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and developed by Emaar Properties, it holds a comfortable ~150-meter lead over the number two — a margin no completed building has come close to erasing in over a decade. Its reign is expected to end only when Jeddah Tower is finished.
2. Merdeka 118 — ~679 m (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
At roughly 679 meters (2,227 ft), Merdeka 118 is the world's second-tallest building and the tallest in Southeast Asia. Completed in the early 2020s, its spire-topped form returned Malaysia to the front of the skyscraper conversation for the first time since the Petronas Towers era.
3. Shanghai Tower — ~632 m (Shanghai, China)
The twisting Shanghai Tower reaches about 632 meters (2,073 ft), making it the tallest building in China and the third-tallest in the world. Its roughly 120-degree spiral form is engineered to cut wind loads, and it anchors Shanghai's Lujiazui financial district with one of the world's highest observation decks.
4. Makkah Royal Clock Tower — ~601 m (Mecca, Saudi Arabia)
The Makkah Royal Clock Tower, part of the Abraj Al-Bait complex overlooking the Grand Mosque, stands at approximately 601 meters (1,972 ft). It has one of the largest clock faces in the world and among the greatest floor areas of any building. Its height puts it fourth globally and second in Saudi Arabia — for now, until Jeddah Tower eclipses it at home.
5. Ping An Finance Center — ~599 m (Shenzhen, China)
Shenzhen's Ping An Finance Center reaches about 599 meters (1,965 ft), a whisker behind the Makkah clock tower. Its height would have been greater still, but a planned spire was reportedly dropped over aviation concerns. Even without it, the tower is one of the tallest office buildings on Earth and a defining feature of Shenzhen's skyline.
6. Lotte World Tower — ~554.5 m (Seoul, South Korea)
The tapering Lotte World Tower stands at roughly 554.5 meters (1,819 ft), making it the tallest building in South Korea and the sixth-tallest in the world. Its slender, gently curved profile was designed to evoke Korean ceramics and calligraphy, and it houses offices, a hotel, residences, and a high observation deck.
7. One World Trade Center — ~541.3 m (New York City, USA)
One World Trade Center, at about 541.3 meters (1,776 ft), is the tallest building in the United States and the Western Hemisphere. That 1,776-foot height is a deliberate nod to the year of American independence. Its ranking depends on the spire counting as architectural — a point CTBUH ruled in its favor. It is the only building from the Americas in the global top ten.
8. Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre — ~530 m (Guangzhou, China)
The Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre reaches approximately 530 meters (1,739 ft). A mixed-use tower with offices, apartments, and a hotel, it shares a near-identical height with a sister building in Tianjin, and the two frequently trade places in rankings depending on the source.
9. Tianjin CTF Finance Centre — ~530 m (Tianjin, China)
The Tianjin CTF Finance Centre also stands at about 530 meters (1,739 ft) — essentially tied with its Guangzhou counterpart. Its gently curved, tapering silhouette has one of the highest occupied floors of any building in the world. Because the two CTF towers are so close in height, whether Guangzhou or Tianjin lands at #8 versus #9 can flip between sources.
10. CITIC Tower (China Zun) — ~528 m (Beijing, China)
Rounding out the top ten is Beijing's CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, at roughly 528 meters (1,731 ft). Its shape draws on the "zun," an ancient Chinese ceremonial vessel, flaring at top and bottom. As the tallest building in Beijing, it completes a top ten in which mainland China holds five of the ten slots.
The 10 tallest buildings in the world in 2026, ranked
The table below is the core ranking — the ten tallest completed buildings by height to architectural top, as of 2026. All heights are approximate best-available figures and can differ by a meter or two between sources; verify before citing.
| Rank | Building | Height (approx.) | City / Country | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burj Khalifa | ~828 m (2,717 ft) | Dubai, UAE | World's tallest since 2010 |
| 2 | Merdeka 118 | ~679 m (2,227 ft) | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Tallest in Southeast Asia |
| 3 | Shanghai Tower | ~632 m (2,073 ft) | Shanghai, China | Tallest in China |
| 4 | Makkah Royal Clock Tower | ~601 m (1,972 ft) | Mecca, Saudi Arabia | Among world's largest clock faces |
| 5 | Ping An Finance Center | ~599 m (1,965 ft) | Shenzhen, China | Among tallest office towers |
| 6 | Lotte World Tower | ~554.5 m (1,819 ft) | Seoul, South Korea | Tallest in South Korea |
| 7 | One World Trade Center | ~541.3 m (1,776 ft) | New York City, USA | Tallest in the Americas |
| 8 | Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre | ~530 m (1,739 ft) | Guangzhou, China | Ties with Tianjin CTF |
| 9 | Tianjin CTF Finance Centre | ~530 m (1,739 ft) | Tianjin, China | Near-identical to Guangzhou |
| 10 | CITIC Tower (China Zun) | ~528 m (1,731 ft) | Beijing, China | Tallest in Beijing |
Heights are approximate 2026 estimates based on CTBUH "architectural top" figures; ranks 8–10 are separated by only a couple of meters and can reorder depending on the source and measurement method.
Jeddah Tower: the challenger set to break 1,000 meters
Why it will dethrone the Burj Khalifa
No completed building on this list is close to the Burj Khalifa — but one under construction is designed to leap past it. Jeddah Tower (originally Kingdom Tower) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is planned to reach roughly 1,000 meters, which would make it the first structure designed to break the one-kilometer barrier and about 170 meters taller than the Burj Khalifa. It is the centerpiece of the planned Jeddah Economic City development.
Why it isn't on the list yet
This ranking covers completed buildings, and Jeddah Tower is not finished. Its construction has stopped and restarted more than once over the years, and reported completion dates have repeatedly slipped. Until it tops out and opens, its future height doesn't count in a list of finished towers — but when it does, it will move straight to #1. Treat any opening date you see as tentative. For more rankings like this, see our top 10 lists.
Who dominates the skyline?
China at the top, the Gulf at the summit
Group the top ten by country and one pattern jumps out: mainland China holds five of the ten slots — Shanghai Tower, Ping An Finance Center, both CTF Finance Centres, and CITIC Tower — the product of two decades of breakneck supertall construction. Yet the single tallest building sits in the United Arab Emirates, and the next wave of record-breakers is emerging in Saudi Arabia. The rest of the list is a study in one-per-country landmarks: Malaysia, South Korea, and the United States each place a single national icon in the global elite. The center of gravity for the very tallest buildings has decisively shifted to Asia and the Gulf. For more numbers-first breakdowns, return to Countly.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tallest building in the world in 2026?
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, remains the tallest completed building in the world in 2026 at an official height of roughly 828 meters (about 2,717 feet). It has held the title since it opened in 2010. Its lead is expected to end once Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia is completed, as that project is designed to exceed 1,000 meters. Heights are best-available figures — verify against CTBUH before citing.
Will Jeddah Tower be taller than the Burj Khalifa?
Yes, by design. Jeddah Tower (formerly Kingdom Tower) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is planned to reach roughly 1,000 meters — the first building designed to break the one-kilometer mark — which would make it about 170 meters taller than the Burj Khalifa. As of 2026 it is under construction and not yet complete, so it does not appear in this ranking of finished buildings. Completion timelines have shifted repeatedly, so treat any opening date as tentative.
How is a building's height officially measured?
The most widely cited authority is the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), which ranks by "height to architectural top" — the structural top including permanent spires but excluding antennas, signage, and flagpoles. That is why some buildings that look shorter in photos rank higher: a functional spire counts, a broadcast antenna generally does not. Different methods (highest occupied floor, tip height) can reorder the list.
Which country has the most of the world's tallest buildings?
China dominates the top of the list in 2026. Of the ten tallest completed buildings, five are in mainland China: the Shanghai Tower, Ping An Finance Center, both CTF Finance Centres, and CITIC Tower. The United Arab Emirates holds the number one spot, while Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the United States each contribute one building to the top ten.
Is the Burj Khalifa or Jeddah Tower currently taller?
The Burj Khalifa is taller today because it is finished and Jeddah Tower is not. At roughly 828 meters, the completed Burj Khalifa outranks the still-under-construction Jeddah Tower, whose planned ~1,000-meter height only counts once the building tops out and opens. Until that happens, the Burj Khalifa keeps the world's-tallest title.
How accurate are these building height figures?
The heights here are best-available estimates compiled from CTBUH data and public records, rounded and expressed as approximate values as of 2026. Official architectural heights are fairly stable for completed buildings, but sources occasionally differ by a meter or two depending on measurement method, and under-construction projects change. Verify against a primary source such as CTBUH before citing a specific number.
Methodology and disclaimer: Every height in this report is a best-available estimate as of 2026, compiled from public sources including the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) and reputable records. Heights are expressed as approximate, rounded values because measurement standards differ — "architectural top," "highest occupied floor," and "tip height" can produce different numbers, and buildings separated by only a meter or two can swap ranks between sources. Under-construction projects such as Jeddah Tower are excluded from the completed-buildings ranking and their timelines and final heights may change. Please verify against a primary source before citing any specific figure.
