The 20 Tallest Buildings in the World in 2026
Completed buildings ranked by official height to architectural top, from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), and the Saudi tower set to overtake Burj Khalifa.
Quick Answer
The tallest building in the world is Burj Khalifa in Dubai, at 828 metres, a title it has held since 2010. Second is Menara Merdeka Maybank (Merdeka 118) in Kuala Lumpur at 678.9 metres, and third is Shanghai Tower at 632 metres. Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, under construction and planned at over 1,000 metres, is set to overtake Burj Khalifa, with its developer targeting completion in late 2028.
This ranking uses the official heights of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), the body whose height standards are used to decide the world's tallest buildings. Heights are measured to the architectural top, which includes spires that are part of the design but not antennas or flagpoles. Only completed buildings are ranked. Two pairs of buildings share the same height, so the top 20 places include 21 buildings.
The tower set to beat Burj Khalifa
Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia is listed by CTBUH as under construction, with a planned height of "1,000+ m" and expected completion in 2028. Its developer, Jeddah Economic Company (JEC), describes it as over 1,000 metres tall. JEC's chief executive said in September 2026 that the tower had reached its 116th floor and was targeting construction completion in late 2028. The exact final height has not been officially published, and sources differ on the floor count: CTBUH lists 167 floors above ground, while JEC states 157 floors.
Height to Architectural Top · Metres
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper CenterTap any building to jump to its full breakdown below.
Ranked #21 to #1
=20Petronas Twin Tower 2451.9 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 451.9 m
- Category:
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · 88 floors · 1998
The second of Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Twin Towers, identical in height to Tower 1 at 451.9 metres.
CTBUH lists the two towers separately, so they share 20th place.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
=20Petronas Twin Tower 1451.9 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 451.9 m
- Category:
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · 88 floors · 1998
The Petronas Twin Towers, completed in 1998, are the oldest buildings in the top 20.
The twin towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 until TAIPEI 101 was completed in 2004.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
19Changsha IFS Tower T1452.1 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 452.1 m
- Category:
- Changsha, China · 94 floors · 2018
Changsha IFS Tower T1, completed in 2018, is one of 8 buildings in mainland China in the top 20.
It is just 0.2 metres taller than the Petronas Twin Towers, the smallest height difference between any two places in the top 20.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
18The Exchange 106453.6 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 453.6 m
- Category:
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · 95 floors · 2019
The Exchange 106, completed in 2019, stands in Kuala Lumpur's Tun Razak Exchange financial district.
Kuala Lumpur has four buildings in the top 20: Merdeka 118, The Exchange 106 and both Petronas Twin Towers.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
17Vincom Landmark 81461.2 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 461.2 m
- Category:
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam · 81 floors · 2018
Landmark 81 in Ho Chi Minh City, completed in 2018, is Vietnam's only building in the top 20.
With 81 floors, it has the fewest floors in the top 20.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
16Lakhta Center462 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 462 m
- Category:
- St. Petersburg, Russia · 87 floors · 2019
The Lakhta Center in St. Petersburg, completed in 2019, is the tallest building in Europe.
It is the only building in Europe in the top 20.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
15Central Park Tower472.4 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 472.4 m
- Category:
- New York City, United States · 98 floors · 2020
Central Park Tower on Manhattan's Billionaires' Row, completed in 2020, is New York's second building in the top 20.
It is 68.9 metres shorter than One World Trade Center, the other New York building on the list.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
14Wuhan Greenland Center475.6 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 475.6 m
- Category:
- Wuhan, China · 101 floors · 2023
The Wuhan Greenland Center was completed in 2023, making it one of the two newest buildings in the top 20.
No building in the top 20 was completed in 2025 or 2026; the newest are this tower and Merdeka 118, both from 2023.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
13International Commerce Centre484 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 484 m
- Category:
- Hong Kong, China · 108 floors · 2010
The International Commerce Centre in West Kowloon, completed in 2010, is the tallest building in Hong Kong.
It was completed in the same year as Burj Khalifa.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
12Shanghai World Financial Center492 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 492 m
- Category:
- Shanghai, China · 101 floors · 2008
The Shanghai World Financial Center, completed in 2008, stands in the Lujiazui district, close to Shanghai Tower.
Shanghai and New York have two buildings each in the top 20. Only Kuala Lumpur has more, with four.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
11TAIPEI 101508 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 508 m
- Category:
- Taipei, Taiwan · 101 floors · 2004
TAIPEI 101, completed in 2004, falls just outside the top 10.
It was the tallest building in the world from 2004 until Burj Khalifa was completed in 2010.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
10CITIC Tower527.7 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 527.7 m
- Category:
- Beijing, China · 109 floors · 2018
CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, was completed in 2018 and is the tallest building in Beijing.
It is only 2.3 metres shorter than the two CTF Finance Centres tied in 8th place.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
=8Tianjin CTF Finance Centre530 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 530 m
- Category:
- Tianjin, China · 97 floors · 2019
The Tianjin CTF Finance Centre, completed in 2019, is exactly the same height as its namesake in Guangzhou.
It reaches 530 metres with 97 floors, 14 fewer than the Guangzhou tower.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
=8Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre530 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 530 m
- Category:
- Guangzhou, China · 111 floors · 2016
The Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre, completed in 2016, shares 8th place with the Tianjin CTF Finance Centre.
Both towers were built by the same developer, Chow Tai Fook, and are named after it.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
7One World Trade Center541.3 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 541.3 m
- Category:
- New York City, United States · 94 floors · 2014
One World Trade Center, completed in 2014, is the tallest building in the United States and the Western Hemisphere.
Its height of 541.3 metres equals 1,776 feet, a reference to 1776, the year of the US Declaration of Independence.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
6Lotte World Tower554.5 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 554.5 m
- Category:
- Seoul, South Korea · 123 floors · 2017
Lotte World Tower in Seoul, completed in 2017, is the tallest building in South Korea.
It is the only building in South Korea in the top 20.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
5Ping An Finance Center599.1 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 599.1 m
- Category:
- Shenzhen, China · 115 floors · 2017
The Ping An Finance Center in Shenzhen, completed in 2017, is China's second-tallest building.
It is just 1.9 metres shorter than the Makkah Royal Clock Tower in 4th place.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
4Makkah Royal Clock Tower601 m
- Height (architectural top):
- 601 m
- Category:
- Mecca, Saudi Arabia · 120 floors · 2012
The Makkah Royal Clock Tower, completed in 2012, overlooks the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and is the tallest building in Saudi Arabia.
It is the only building in the top 20 in Saudi Arabia, which is also building Jeddah Tower, planned at over 1,000 metres.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
- Height (architectural top):
- 632 m
- Category:
- Shanghai, China · 128 floors · 2015
Shanghai Tower, completed in 2015, is the tallest building in China.
Mainland China has 8 of the 21 buildings in the top 20, more than any other country, plus 1 in Hong Kong.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
- Height (architectural top):
- 678.9 m
- Category:
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · 118 floors · 2023
Menara Merdeka Maybank, better known as Merdeka 118, was completed in 2023 and is the second-tallest building in the world. CTBUH now lists it under this sponsored name.
It is the newest building in the top 3, and the tallest building completed anywhere since Burj Khalifa.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
- Height (architectural top):
- 828 m
- Category:
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates · 163 floors · 2010
Burj Khalifa in Dubai, completed in 2010, has been the tallest building in the world for more than 16 years.
At 828 metres, it is 149.1 metres taller than Merdeka 118 in 2nd place, about 22% taller. It has the most floors in the top 20, with 163.
Source: CTBUH Skyscraper Center
What the numbers tell us
Burj Khalifa is 149.1 metres taller than any other completed building. If Jeddah Tower is completed as planned, it would be the first building over 1,000 metres. Other towers under construction could also enter the top 10 by 2030, including Burj Azizi in Dubai, listed by CTBUH at 725 metres with expected completion in 2030, which would rank 2nd today.
- Data period:
- Completed buildings as listed by CTBUH, November 2026
- Last updated:
- November 7, 2026
- Sources:
- Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), The Skyscraper Center: building heights, floors above ground, completion years and Jeddah Tower's status. Jeddah Economic Company (JEC): Jeddah Tower's height ("over 1,000 meters") and floor count (157). Jeddah Tower's construction progress and late-2028 target: JEC chief executive Fabien Toscano, as reported by Gulf News (October 6, 2026) and Gulf Business (October 5, 2026).
Buildings are ranked by CTBUH height to architectural top, which includes spires but not antennas, signs or flagpoles. Only buildings CTBUH lists as completed are ranked; Jeddah Tower and other buildings under construction are not. Where two buildings have the same height, they share a rank, so the top 20 places include 21 buildings. Locations follow CTBUH's listings. Height differences and percentages are calculated by Viszlyn from the CTBUH figures. Jeddah Tower's final height has not been officially published: CTBUH lists it as "1,000+ m" and JEC as over 1,000 metres; some reports give about 1,008 metres, which Viszlyn has not been able to confirm from an official source. CTBUH counts 167 floors above ground, while JEC states 157 floors.
Figures marked as estimates are based on publicly available information and may vary from other published sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Burj Khalifa in Dubai, at 828 metres to its architectural top, according to CTBUH. It has held the title since it was completed in 2010.