Who decides
Sources
Who is the best is decided by the public rankings below, not by us. Best ’25 needs at least 4 of them; one renowned ranking is enough to be a Nominee ’26.
These are the rankings our monthly update reads. How they are combined is on the Mechanics page.
best restaurants in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 4 rankings
- William Reed / 50 Best (London)The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025English
- La Liste (Paris)La Liste Top 1000 – 2026 editionFrench / English
- TripadvisorTravelers' Choice Best of the Best Restaurants 2025 – Fine Dining (World)English
- Food & Wine (Dotdash Meredith, New York)Global Tastemakers 2025 – Top 15 International RestaurantsEnglish
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 2 rankings
best bars in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 3 rankings
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 2 rankings
best hotels in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 4 rankings
- La Liste (France)La Liste Top Hotels 2025 - the 10 best hotels in the worldFrench / English
- Travel + LeisureWorld's Best Awards 2025 - 100 Favorite Hotels in the WorldEnglish
- TripadvisorTravelers' Choice Best of the Best Hotels 2025 - Top Hotels in the WorldEnglish
- William Reed (50 Best)The World's 50 Best Hotels 2025English
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 5 rankings
- Condé Nast Traveler (US)Readers' Choice Awards 2026 - The Best Hotels in the WorldEnglish
- La Liste (France)La Liste Top Hotels 2026 - the 10 best hotels in the worldFrench / English
- Travel + LeisureWorld's Best Awards 2026 - 100 Favorite Hotels in the WorldEnglish
- TripadvisorTravelers' Choice Best of the Best Hotels 2026 - Top Hotels in the WorldEnglish
- William Reed (50 Best)The World's 50 Best Hotels 2026English
best airlines in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 5 rankings
- AirHelpAirHelp Score 2025 - airlinesEnglish
- AirlineRatings.comWorld's Best Airlines for 2025 - Top 25 Full Service AirlinesEnglish
- Condé Nast Traveller (UK)Readers' Choice Awards 2025 - The best airlines in the worldEnglish
- SkytraxWorld Airline Awards 2025 - World's Top 100 AirlinesEnglish
- Travel + LeisureWorld's Best Awards 2025 - Top 10 International AirlinesEnglish
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 4 rankings
- AirlineRatings.comWorld's Best Airlines for 2026 - Full ServiceEnglish
- Condé Nast Traveller (UK)Readers' Choice Awards 2026 - The best airlines in the worldEnglish
- SkytraxWorld Airline Awards 2026 - World's Top 100 AirlinesEnglish
- Travel + LeisureWorld's Best Awards 2026 - Top 10 International AirlinesEnglish
best airports in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 4 rankings
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 4 rankings
best cities in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 6 rankings
- Condé Nast Traveller (UK)Readers' Choice Awards 2025 - The best cities in the worldEnglish
- Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)Global Liveability Index 2025English
- MonocleQuality of Life Survey 2025English
- Resonance ConsultancyWorld's Best Cities 2026 (report label 2026)English
- Time Out50 Best Cities in the World to Visit in 2025English
- Travel + LeisureWorld's Best Awards 2025 - Top 10 World's Best CitiesEnglish
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 6 rankings
- Condé Nast Traveller (UK)Readers' Choice Awards 2026 - The best cities in the worldEnglish
- Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)Global Liveability Index 2026English
- MonocleQuality of Life Survey 2026English
- Oxford EconomicsGlobal Cities Index 2026English
- Time OutBest Cities in the World 2026English
- Travel + LeisureWorld's Best Awards 2026 - Top 10 World's Best CitiesEnglish
happiest countries in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 3 rankings
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 2 rankings
best universities in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 5 rankings
- Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)CWUR World University Rankings 2025English
- Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)QS World University Rankings 2026English
- ShanghaiRanking ConsultancyAcademic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2025English / Chinese
- Times Higher EducationWorld University Rankings 2026English
- U.S. News & World ReportBest Global Universities 2025-2026English
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 5 rankings
- Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)CWUR World University Rankings 2026English
- Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)QS World University Rankings 2027English
- ShanghaiRanking ConsultancyAcademic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2026English / Chinese
- Times Higher EducationWorld University Rankings 2027English
- U.S. News & World ReportBest Global Universities 2026-2027English
best hospitals in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 3 rankings
- Brand FinanceGlobal Top 250 Hospitals 2025 (brand strength)English · measures brand strength
- Nature Index (Springer Nature)2025 Research Leaders - Leading healthcare institutionsEnglish · measures research output
- Newsweek / StatistaWorld's Best Hospitals 2025 - Top 250English
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 3 rankings
- Brand FinanceGlobal Top 250 Hospitals 2026 (brand strength)English · measures brand strength
- Nature Index (Springer Nature)2026 Research Leaders - Leading healthcare institutionsEnglish · measures research output
- Newsweek / StatistaWorld's Best Hospitals 2026 - Top 250English
best footballers in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 6 rankings
- France Football / L'ÉquipeBallon d'Or 2025 (men)French / English
- IFFHSIFFHS World's Best Man Player 2025it (source) / English
- The GuardianThe 100 best male footballers in the world 2025English
- FourFourTwoRanked! The 100 best players in the world, 2025English
- Bleacher ReportB/R Top 25 Men's World Football Players in 2025English
- Sports Illustrated (Español)Los 25 mejores futbolistas del 2025 - rankeadosSpanish
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 1 ranking
- France Football / L'ÉquipeBallon d'Or 2026 (men) - 30 nomineesFrench / English · official nominee list
best female footballers in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 4 rankings
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 1 ranking
- France Football / L'ÉquipeBallon d'Or Féminin 2026 - 30 nomineesFrench / English · official nominee list
best employers in the world
Best ’25 · 2025 editions 4 rankings
- Forbes / StatistaWorld's Best Employers 2025English · measures Employee survey
- Fortune / Great Place To Work®Fortune World's Best Workplaces™ 2025English · measures Employee survey
- Financial Times / StatistaEurope's Best Employers 2025English · measures Employee survey
- Financial Times / StatistaBest Employers Asia-Pacific 2025English · measures Employee survey
Nominees ’26 · 2026 editions 18 rankings
- Forbes / StatistaWorld's Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- Forbes / StatistaAmerica’s Best Large Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- Forbes / StatistaCanada's Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- Forbes Mexico / StatistaMexico’s Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- Forbes Türkiye / StatistaTürkiye’s Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- Forbes Polska / StatistaPoland’s Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- The Philippine Daily Inquirer / StatistaThe Philippines' Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- Handelszeitung and PME / StatistaSwitzerland’s Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- stern / StatistaGermany’s Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- Sunday Independent / StatistaIreland's Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- Tempo / StatistaIndonesia's Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- Financial Times / StatistaUK’s Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- The Straits Times / StatistaSingapore’s Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- TIME / StatistaAustralia's Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- TIME / StatistaBrazil's Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- TIME / StatistaIndia's Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- Corriere della Sera / StatistaItaly's Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey
- trend / StatistaAustria’s Best Employers 2026English · measures Employee survey