- Dubai’s Burj Khalifa remains the tallest building in the world in 2026, at 2,717 feet tall with 163 floors, nearly 500 feet taller than runner-up Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur
- Asia continues to dominate the world’s tallest buildings, with 17 of the world’s 20 tallest buildings located on the continent, led by China and Malaysia
- The only non-Asian building in the world’s top ten is New York’s One World Trade Center, which ranks seventh at 1,776 feet
The skyscraper movement has produced some of the world’s most recognizable cityscapes, but one tower still stands tall above all others.
Source: Getty Images
Dubai’s Burj Khalifa has held the title of tallest building in the world since 2010, and in 2026 it is still the undisputed flagship.
At 2,717 feet, it is nearly 500 feet taller than the runner-up, Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, which shows how far ahead it is even as new skyscrapers continue to be built.
Its height of 2,717 feet is more than twice that of the Empire State Building. The building has a mixed-use design, including residential apartments, corporate offices, hotels, and observation decks. The highest observation point in the world, “At the Top”, is on the 148th floor.
10 Tallest Buildings in the World in 2026
Asia dominates the list of tallest buildings in the world. Nine of the top ten buildings are in Asia, with only One World Trade Center representing the Western world.
China alone has five buildings in the top ten: Shanghai Tower (3rd), Ping An Finance Center (5th), Guangzhou CTF Finance Center (8th), Tianjin CTF Finance Center (9th), and CITIC Tower (10th).
Malaysia contributes two buildings (Merdeka 118 and Petronas Twin Towers, although the latter is ranked 19th overall), while the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the United States each have one.
The following table shows the ten tallest buildings in the world as of April 2026, including the city, height, and number of floors.
This data has been collected by the Council on Vertical Urbanism (formerly the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat). Height includes architectural features such as high towers but does not include adjustable items such as antennas and flagpoles.
Position | Building | City | Height (feet) | Number of Floors
|
Rank |
Building |
City |
Height (feet) |
Number of Floors |
|
1 |
Burj Khalifa |
Dubai, UAE |
2,717 |
163 |
|
2 |
Merdeka 118 |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
2,227 |
118 |
|
3 |
Shanghai Tower |
Shanghai, China |
2,073 |
128 |
|
4 |
Makkah Royal Clock Tower |
Mecca, Saudi Arabia |
1,972 |
120 |
|
5 |
Ping An Finance Center |
Shenzhen, China |
1,965 |
115 |
|
6 |
Lotte World Tower |
Seoul, South Korea |
1,819 |
123 |
|
7 |
One World Trade Center |
New York City, USA |
1,776 |
94 |
|
8 |
Guangzhou CTF Finance Center |
Guangzhou, China |
1,739 |
111 |
|
9 |
Tianjin CTF Finance Center |
Tianjin, China |
1,739 |
97 |
|
10 |
CITIC Tower |
Beijing, China |
1,731 |
109 |
The future of very tall buildings
Saudi Arabia is eager to reclaim the crown of the world’s tallest building. Jeddah Tower (formerly Kingdom Tower) has been under construction in phases since 2013 and is expected to reach a height of one kilometer (3,281 feet).
The developer aims to open it as early as 2028. When completed, it will surpass the Burj Khalifa by more than 500 feet to become the tallest building in the world.
Other major projects planned include the Dubai Creek Tower (originally scheduled for completion in 2021 but delayed) as well as various proposals in China and South Korea.
The race to build the tallest building continues, but for now the Burj Khalifa remains the undisputed king of the world’s skyscrapers.
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