A new global report from Open Doors US indicates that Christian persecution and discrimination have reached unprecedented levels, with millions more believers facing severe pressure because of their faith.
The nonprofit released its 2026 World Watch List on Wednesday, ranking the 50 countries where Christians experience the most extreme persecution. According to the findings, the number of Christians living under high levels of persecution rose again over the past year.
The report shows that 388 million Christians—more than one in seven worldwide—now face high levels of persecution or discrimination for their faith, marking an increase of more than 8 million compared to the previous year.
Ryan Brown, the CEO of Open Doors US, told The Christian Post that multiple overlapping factors are driving the increase, with a particular rise in extreme violence, much of it concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, where 14 countries appear on the watch list.
The large region of more than 720 million people, nearly half of whom are Christian and where one in eight Christians live in the world, remains a critical area of concern.
According to the report, Nigeria remains the world’s deadliest country for Christians, accounting for the majority of faith-related killings globally. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during the reporting period, 3,490 were in Nigeria—up from 3,100 the year before.
Outside Africa, Somalia ranked as the second-most dangerous country for Christians for the fourth straight year. Syria recorded its highest-ever persecution score after experiencing the largest single-year increase since Open Doors began using its current ranking methodology in 2014.
Brown drew a distinction between violent “smash persecution,” such as mass killings and church attacks, and what he called “squeeze persecution,” which restricts daily Christian life without overt violence.
He said squeeze persecution is becoming increasingly common, particularly in China, where the government continues to tighten surveillance and state control over religious expression.
“The Chinese government has really sought to close down a number of the unregistered churches — those that were not officially aligned with the Communist Party, and close those churches out,” Brown said.
“Last year, on September 25, they rolled out a list of guidelines, about 18 rules governing the online behavior of Christians and religious expression. This included things such as Christians are not allowed to broadcast any live videos with religious or Christian intent; access to Bible apps was made illegal.”
“It's not as visible as the violence or churches being lit on fire, but churches are being closed,” he added. “Christians are being told that they can't engage in worship or engage in community with one another.”
The report also highlights increasing technological repression in countries such as North Korea, which again ranked as the most dangerous nation for Christians overall. According to Open Doors, authorities are now using artificial intelligence and advanced surveillance tools to detect “suspicious behavior patterns” that could indicate Christian belief.
