Zurich: With the FIFA World Cup 2026 just days away, FIFA has introduced a new tool that promises to change how individual player performance is understood and discussed throughout the tournament — the FIFA Power Rankings, powered by Aramco.
The system moves away from traditional statistics and subjective opinion, instead drawing entirely on FIFA’s own match data and its Enhanced Football Intelligence algorithms to generate objective, real-time assessments of how players perform across key areas of the game.
Developed by football experts under the guidance of FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, the Power Rankings are built to capture what conventional stats often miss — the individual characteristics and specific contributions that define a player’s true impact on a match.
“Performance will no longer be judged by opinion alone,” said Wenger. “Every player will be measured through objective match data across attacking, creativity and defending, setting a new global standard for individual performance in football.”
The mechanics are straightforward. Every outfield player who meets a minimum minutes-played threshold will receive a score between zero and ten across three categories: attacking, creativity, and defending. Goalkeepers are assessed separately, across two dimensions — performance in possession and shot-stopping.
Rankings go live once every team has played at least one match, updating after each subsequent game. FIFA will publish standings of the top 100 players in each category, with scores available within four hours of the final whistle.
For fans, broadcasters, and media, the Power Rankings are designed to enrich the conversation around every fixture — adding a layer of data-driven storytelling to complement the action on the pitch.
Aramco’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Khalid A. Al Zamil, framed the partnership as a natural fit: “Data and technology play a critical role in driving innovation across our business. We are proud to collaborate with FIFA on this flagship project, bringing fans closer to the game through insights that enhance their World Cup experience.”
