Open Doors reports nearly half a billion Christians face persecution worldwide

The Christian advocacy group Open Doors says nearly 400 million Christians around the world are at risk of persecution this year.

In its 2026 World Watch List, Open Doors highlights the top 50 countries where Christians at peril, with extreme persecution documented in North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan and Eritrea.

According to the Open Doors website, the World Watch List’s total number of Christians killed for their faith increased from 4,476 in the 2025 report to 4,849 in 2026.

The center of the violence is focused in sub-Saharan Africa.

Founded in 1955, the nonprofit group works in more than 70 countries to protect and serve persecuted Christians by providing bibles, life skills and work training as well as advocacy.