Before the 2026 World Cup kicks off next week, FIFA announced the launch of FIFA Power Rankings powered by Aramco, a completely new ranking system that uses data to evaluate and show the individual performance of players throughout the tournament.
Built entirely based on the unique and rich match data of FIFA, along with algorithms from the Enhanced Football Intelligence platform, the system will provide objective analysis of player performance in important aspects of modern football.
Developed by football experts under the guidance of FIFA's Director of Global Football Development, Arsene Wenger, this system uses FIFA's world-leading performance data to identify the characteristics and personal contributions of players in a way that traditional statistics cannot.
Performance will no longer be evaluated based on personal opinions. With the new FIFA Power Rankings, each player will be evaluated through objective match data on attacking, creative and defensive abilities, setting a new global standard for individual performance in football," Wenger said.
Mr. Khalid A. Al Zamil, Senior Vice President in charge of Corporate Communications of Aramco, said: "At Aramco, data and technology play an important role in promoting innovation throughout business operations and creating large-scale impacts. We are proud to partner with FIFA in this key project based on data, helping fans get closer to the match through knowledge and analysis to enhance their experience of the 2026 World Cup.
The new ranking will create new opportunities for fans, media representatives and television stations to interact with the tournament and the best players in the world through richer stories, in-depth analysis and discussions.
In each match, each player outside the goalkeeper position who meets the prescribed playing minutes will receive a score from 0 to 10 based on three core performance areas: attack, creativity and defense. Goalkeepers will be evaluated in two categories: ball control ability and goal protection ability.
The league rankings will be announced after the first round ends - when all teams have played a match - and from there, the rankings will be updated after each match. FIFA will announce the rankings including the top 100 players in each category, reflecting both each match's performance and the overall league performance. The results will be announced no later than four hours after the final whistle of each match blows.
The FIFA Power Ranking is designed to help fans access the 2026 World Cup more visually and intimately while creating more stories and professional perspectives surrounding each match at the tournament.
