Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: Eight Saudi cities secured positions in the 2026 Smart City Index, highlighting the Kingdom’s accelerating progress in urban development and digital transformation.

The index, published by the International Institute for Management Development, evaluates how cities worldwide use technology and digital infrastructure to improve residents’ quality of life.

Riyadh ranked 24th globally, improving from 27th place last year. Makkah placed 50th, followed by Jeddah at 55th and Madinah at 67th. Al Khobar also appeared in the ranking at 64th.

Meanwhile, AlUla recorded one of the most notable improvements, jumping from 112th place to 85th. The rise reflects the rapid development of the city’s tourism and infrastructure projects.

Two Saudi cities entered the index for the first time. Hail ranked 33rd globally, while Hafar Al-Batin placed 100th among 148 cities evaluated worldwide.

The IMD Smart City Index assesses cities based on residents’ perceptions of public services, digital infrastructure, and how effectively technology improves everyday life.

The strong showing reflects Saudi Arabia’s ongoing push to modernize urban infrastructure and develop smart, sustainable cities in line with Saudi Vision 2030, while the Kingdom also prepares to mark 2026 as the “Year of Artificial Intelligence.”