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2026-02-01 02:37:12

Ranked: The Most Valuable Sports Teams in 2026

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This visualization ranks the most valuable sports teams in the world in 2026, highlighting both long-established dynasties and fast-rising franchises. It also shows how financial success does not always align with on-field results.

Values are shown in U.S. dollars and include year-over-year percentage changes. The data for this visualization comes from Forbes.

The Cowboys Lead—Even Without Recent Titles

The Dallas Cowboys top the rankings at $13.0 billion, making them the most valuable sports franchise in the world.

Notably, the team has not appeared in a Super Bowl since the 1995 season, when it defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite this long championship drought, the Cowboys’ brand power, national fanbase, and lucrative sponsorships continue to drive unmatched financial success.

Combined, NFL franchises account for 13 of the top 20 teams (65%), including the New England Patriots, who will face the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026.

NBA Growth Fueled by Star Power and Ownership

NBA teams show some of the fastest valuation growth on the list. The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks both exceed $9 billion in value, reflecting the league’s global reach and star-driven appeal.

The Los Angeles Clippers, valued at $7.5 billion, are owned by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, whose investment in a new arena and aggressive spending has helped boost the franchise’s worth.

Notably, the Lakers and the current World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, share the same ownership group, underscoring how cross-sport portfolios can amplify brand value.

Soccer’s Global Reach, Limited Representation

Real Madrid is the only soccer club to make the top 20, valued at $6.75 billion. This is notable given soccer’s global popularity and the presence of superstar athletes, including Cristiano Ronaldo, the highest-paid athlete in the world. It also reflects how the sports business is far more developed in the United States.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Top 10 Sportswear Companies Globally By Market Cap (2025) on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

2026-01-31 23:23:06

Charted: The Rising Prices of Popular Beer Brands (2015–2025)

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Cracking open a cold one has gotten noticeably more expensive over the past decade.

Between 2015 and 2025, the average price of a 12-pack of beer climbed sharply across nearly every major brand, outpacing broader inflation.

This chart compares the average retail prices for a 12-pack of 12-oz cans or bottles of popular beer brands in 2015 vs. 2025, based on data from FinanceBuzz. It’s worth noting that the data is from a limited sample of one retailer, and prices may vary regionally and across retailers.

Beer Prices Have Risen Faster Than Alcohol Inflation

While alcohol inflation for at-home consumption has increased by about 16% since 2015, beer prices have climbed by roughly 29% overall, and even more for certain brands.

On average, the 15 beer brands tracked saw prices rise from $11.62 per 12-pack in 2015 to $16.39 in 2025, an increase of $4.77 per case.

Here’s how individual brands compare:

Craft and imported beers dominate the top of the list when it comes to price hikes.

Sam Adams Summer Ale, a seasonal beer that’s only available from March to August, recorded the largest increase, jumping from $13.99 to $23.99, a 71% increase, or an extra $10 per 12-pack. Imported beers like Dos Equis, Guinness, and Corona Extra also posted price increases north of the 35% mark.

Furthermore, budget-friendly staples like Miller High Life and Pabst Blue Ribbon both saw prices rise by 44%, climbing from $8.99 to $12.99. Meanwhile, some of America’s most popular beers, including Bud Light, Budweiser, Coors Light, and Miller Lite, all experienced similar increases of around 36%.

In other words, even America’s go-to “cheap beers” now cost several dollars more per case than they did a decade ago.

Why Beer Prices Have Risen

Several factors have driven the rise in beer prices, including rising prices for barley (+15% from 2015–2025) and aluminum (+92% from 2015–2025), as well as overall inflation.

Additionally, consumer preferences are shifting toward premium craft and specialty beers, which tend to be more expensive. While beer remains relatively affordable compared to wine and spirits on a per-drink basis, its steady price climb has been hard to miss, especially for frequent buyers.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed this breakdown, explore more consumer price trends and lifestyle data on Voronoi, including NFL Beer Cost Inflation Over the Past Decade

2026-01-31 21:02:34

The Maximum Extent of the Roman Empire in 117 AD

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

For any fan of history or of Ancient Rome, our infographic map of the Roman Empire probably looks familiar.

It shows the maximum territorial extent ever achieved by the Roman Empire, just after Trajan’s ambitious wars in the East, during which he captured Dacia (Romania), Armenia, Mesopotamia, Assyria, and the Parthian capital of Ctesiphon (in modern-day Iraq).

Although Trajan is rated as one of the best Roman Emperors by historians and was considered one of the strongest military leaders in Roman history, the reality is that the peak he achieved was very short-lived.

We’ll dig into that and more as we explain this map, which covers one of the most interesting periods in history, leveraging classical and modern sources including Cassius Dio, Plutarch, Cambridge Ancient History, Walter Scheidel, Fergus Millar, Adrian Goldsworthy, Anthony Everitt, and Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Trajan: The First Emperor Born Outside of Italy

Trajan was born in Italica, Spain, near modern-day Seville. He was a career soldier and became an extremely competent and respected general. He was adopted as the heir to the childless Nerva, and became emperor after Nerva’s passing in 98 AD.

Once emperor, Trajan was famous for his civic investment and military expansion. He built roads, harbors, aqueducts, and the Forum of Trajan in Rome—but he also conquered distant lands decisively.

The Roman Empire at its Overextended Peak

Various limits—cultural, geographical, logistical, and administrative—seem to prevent historical empires from achieving infinite expansion.

Trajan tested these limits and eventually came upon the breaking point. Dacia (Romania) was arguably his greatest military achievement and remained a Roman province for almost two centuries after. His experiments to the East, however, were less of a slam dunk.

His battles with Parthia (the other Mediterranean superpower at the time) led to quick expansion into Armenia, Mesopotamia, and Assyria. However, these vast territorial gains were fragile:

• Supply lines were long, exposed, and costly.
• Massive revolts broke out in Judea and across the Jewish diaspora, in Libya, Egypt, and Cyprus.
• Parthia remained intact as a power, despite symbolic defeats.

In hindsight, the map captures not just Rome’s greatest triumph—but the moment it became overextended.

Could Trajan hold it together as the empire came under strain?

The End of Trajan’s Reign, and a New Imperial Strategy

Conquering territory and holding it are two very different challenges.

With troops diverted across multiple fronts, the new gains quickly started unraveling for Trajan. At the same time, now in his early 60s, his health also began to fail. As he was returning to Rome, he stopped in Cilicia (modern-day southern Türkiye), where he passed away.

Hadrian, the following emperor, immediately recognized that the empire had tested its limits and now needed to consolidate. He built Hadrian’s Wall in the UK, and abandoned most of Trajan’s eastern conquests to focus on stabilization.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

What are the best selling books of history? See this visualization on Voronoi.

2026-01-31 03:04:36

Charted: Global Attitudes Towards China and the U.S.

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

How do people around the world feel about the two most powerful countries on the global stage?

Drawing from a recent Global Attitudes Survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, this visualization by Iswardi Ishak compares public opinion in 24 countries towards the United States and China.

The poll, which was conducted with 28,000 adults between January 8 and April 26, 2025, shows a highly diverse set of sentiments, with some nations expressing strong preference for one power over the other, while others show ambivalence or neutrality toward both.

Visualizing Favorability Around the World

The scatterplot above breaks down each country’s percentage of favorable opinion of the U.S. (vertical axis) against that of China (horizontal axis). The quadrant structure quickly reveal how widely opinions vary, and which countries lean more towards one global power over the other.

	Favorable toward U.S. (%)	Favorable toward China (%)	Difference (%)
Israel	83	33	50
South Korea	61	19	42
Japan	55	13	42
India	54	21	33
Poland	55	35	20
UK	50	39	11
Hungary	60	51	9
Australia	29	23	6
Brazil	56	51	5
Argentina	52	47	5
Germany	33	29	4
Italy	47	45	2
Sweden	19	18	1
France	36	36	0
Canada	34	34	0
Netherlands	29	30	-1
Nigeria	78	81	-3
Spain	31	37	-6
South Africa	50	57	-7
Türkiye	25	35	-10
Greece	45	56	-11
Kenya	62	74	-12
Indonesia	48	65	-17
Mexico	29	56	-27

Among the clearest takeaways: Israel stands out with an overwhelmingly favorable view of the U.S. (90%), the highest in the survey by a significant margin. This reflects long-standing U.S.-Israel strategic ties, including military aid, diplomatic backing, and broad bipartisan support within American politics. On the other end of the spectrum, Sweden reports the lowest favorability toward the U.S. at just 18%.

On the China side, Nigeria (83%) and Kenya (73%) show the strongest support, making Africa one of the few regions where both powers enjoy relatively high favorability.

The Declining Global Image of the U.S.

According to Pew’s research (and YouGov’s as well), favorable views of the United States have dropped significantly in Europe, especially in long-time allies like the Netherlands, Spain, and France. The decline is largely tied to ongoing dissatisfaction with U.S. foreign policy, climate change inaction, and internal political dysfunction. Even in countries traditionally friendly toward the U.S.—like Canada, the UK, and Australia—favorable views hover below 50%.

Meanwhile, some nations, such as South Korea and Japan, still report strong U.S. support. But across the board, Pew’s latest survey signals a downward shift from previous years.

China’s Perception is Shifting, Too

Though China’s global image remains mixed, many countries (particularly in the Global South) have reported rising favorability in 2025. Indonesia (69%), South Africa (56%), and Mexico (58%) all lean more positive toward China than the United States.

This reflects growing Chinese diplomatic and economic engagement in the Global South, especially through infrastructure initiatives and trade partnerships. That said, in most Western nations, views on China remain decidedly negative, often in parallel with unfavorable views of the U.S.

Where Do People Stand on Both?

Some countries, like Nigeria and Kenya, are outliers for their high favorability toward both powers. Meanwhile, many European nations express skepticism of both China and the U.S., which hints at a broader disillusionment with superpower politics.

For example, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands all fall in the bottom-left quadrant, expressing below-average favorability for both countries.

If you’re interested in how global sentiment toward Israel compares, check out our companion post: Survey: What the World Thinks About Israel.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

Looking for more context? Check out how Americans’ own views on China have shifted over time: US public opinion on China has changed a lot since 2017.

2026-01-30 22:46:37

Charted: The 35 Countries with the Highest Household Debt

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently released data showing the countries with the highest levels of household debt, defined as loans and debt securities incurred by households, expressed as a percentage of GDP. The metric is often used as a barometer for financial risk and vulnerability at the household level.

Household debt typically includes mortgages, car loans, credit card debt, and personal loans. While some level of debt can stimulate economic growth through consumption and investment, excessive debt levels can lead to long-term financial instability, especially when interest rates rise or during economic downturns.

Today’s visualization breaks down the top 35 countries with the highest household debt levels, and was made by Iswardi Ishak using IMF data.

The Data: Countries With the Most Household Debt

Below is data for the 71 countries in the dataset:

Rank	Country/Territory	Household debt (% of GDP)
1	Switzerland	125.4
2	Australia	112.2
3	Canada	100.1
4	Netherlands	93.6
5	New Zealand	90.3
6	South Korea	90.1
7	Norway	88.6
8	Hong Kong	88.0
9	Denmark	85.2
10	Sweden	82.7
11	United Kingdom	76.2
12	Malaysia	69.5
13	United States	69.4
14	Japan	65.1
15	Finland	63.3
16	Luxembourg	61.9
17	China	61.4
18	France	60.5
19	Cyprus	59.6
20	Belgium	57.4
21	Portugal	53.3
22	Germany	49.9
23	Malta	48.7
24	Chile	44.8
25	Singapore	44.3
26	Austria	44.0
27	Spain	43.7
28	Slovakia	43.4
29	Israel	42.3
30	India	40.8
31	Honduras	39.7
32	Greece	38.8
33	Estonia	38.4
34	Brazil	36.4
35	Italy	36.1
36	Saudi Arabia	35.3
37	South Africa	33.7
38	Nepal	32.5
39	Czech Republic	30.8
40	Vanuatu	30.6
41	Croatia	30.3
42	Ireland	29.6
43	El Salvador	28.0
44	North Macedonia	27.1
45	Costa Rica	26.8
46	Bulgaria	25.9
47	Colombia	25.7
48	Morocco	25.6
49	United Arab Emirates	24.8
50	Slovenia	24.3
51	Poland	22.9
52	Russia	22.2
53	Lithuania	22.0
54	Samoa	20.0
55	Latvia	19.4
56	Lesotho	17.2
57	Kazakhstan	17.1
58	Hungary	17.0
59	Mexico	16.7
60	Nicaragua	16.5
61	Indonesia	16.2
62	Albania	12.8
63	Romania	10.8
64	Türkiye	9.6
65	Solomon Islands	8.6
66	Paraguay	6.6
67	Bangladesh	6.2
68	Suriname	5.1
69	Argentina	4.7
70	Pakistan	2.1
71	Sierra Leone	0.0

At the top of the chart is Switzerland, where household debt amounts to 125% of GDP. It’s followed by Australia (112%) and Canada (100%), two countries known for overheated housing markets.

On the other end of the list, countries like Brazil and Italy show far lower household debt burdens relative to their GDP, both below 37%.

Why High Household Debt Can Be Risky

While credit access enables household consumption and property ownership, it also creates exposure to economic shocks. High household debt can constrain economic growth when families divert income to servicing debt rather than spending or saving. It also increases sensitivity to interest rate hikes, which raise repayment costs.

In fact, research from the Leibniz Institute for Financial Research highlights how household debt, when misaligned with wage growth or asset prices, can trigger financial instability.

As the study notes: “In the event of economic shocks, high household debt levels result in non‑performing loans that weaken bank balance sheets and spread to other financial institutions through the contagion effect. This could result in an unstable financial sector that restricts lending to profitable investments and deserving households. Ultimately, household consumption and investment decrease, thereby lowering economic growth.”

In short, elevated household debt goes beyond being a macroeconomic statistic, and has the potential to amplify downturns and reduce resilience at both the household and national level.

Household Debt in Context

The distribution of household debt also ties into broader macroeconomic trends. Anglophone nations like the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the UK exhibit higher debt levels due to hot property markets, and cultural factors favoring homeownership and financial liberalization.

Meanwhile, in the United States, household finances vary drastically by state.

High household debt doesn’t always indicate looming trouble, but it does warrant careful monitoring, especially in environments of rising rates or slowing economic growth.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

Explore more data visuals like this on the Voronoi app. For example, see The World’s $111 Trillion in Government Debt.

2026-01-30 20:47:04

Who’s Powering Global Economic Growth in 2026?

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Global economic growth is expected to remain resilient in 2026, with real GDP projected to grow by 3.1%, even as advanced economies slow and emerging markets play a larger role.

This visualization breaks down each country and region’s share of global real GDP growth in 2026, based on forecast data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Note on methodology: The IMF calculates contributions to global real GDP growth using purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP, which adjusts for local price differences, allowing faster-growing emerging economies to have a more representative impact on global growth.

China and India Drive Global GDP Growth in 2026

China is forecast to contribute 26.6% of global real GDP growth in 2026, by far the largest share of any country.

Despite slower headline growth rates compared to previous decades, China’s sheer economic size still makes it the single biggest driver of global expansion.

Here’s a look at each country’s contribution to global real GDP growth in 2026:

Rank	Country	2025 Real GDP (PPP, billions)	2026 Real GDP Growth	Share of 2026 Global Real GDP Growth
1	China	$41,015.8	4.2%	26.6%
2	India	$17,714.2	6.2%	17.0%
3	United States	$30,615.7	2.1%	9.9%
4	Indonesia	$5,015.8	4.9%	3.8%
5	Türkiye	$3,766.8	3.7%	2.2%
6	Saudi Arabia	$2,688.5	4.0%	1.7%
7	Egypt	$2,381.5	4.5%	1.7%
8	Vietnam	$1,807.1	5.6%	1.6%
9	Brazil	$4,973.4	1.9%	1.5%
10	Nigeria	$2,254.2	4.2%	1.5%
11	Bangladesh	$1,782.1	4.9%	1.3%
12	Philippines	$1,477.7	5.7%	1.3%
13	Russian Federation	$7,143.1	1.0%	1.1%
14	Poland	$2,019.8	3.1%	1.0%
15	Germany	$6,153.7	0.9%	0.9%
16	United Kingdom	$4,454.7	1.3%	0.9%
17	Pakistan	$1,671.4	3.6%	0.9%
18	Malaysia	$1,478.1	4.0%	0.9%
19	Argentina	$1,490.2	4.0%	0.9%
20	Spain	$2,828.5	2.0%	0.9%
21	Republic of Korea	$3,363.4	1.8%	0.9%
22	Mexico	$3,436.9	1.5%	0.8%
23	Kazakhstan	$912.6	4.8%	0.7%
24	United Arab Emirates	$935.5	5.0%	0.7%
25	Japan	$6,758.2	0.6%	0.6%
26	France	$4,533.6	0.9%	0.6%
27	Canada	$2,722.8	1.5%	0.6%
28	Taiwan	$1,990.3	2.1%	0.6%
29	Australia	$1,981.7	2.1%	0.6%
30	Italy	$3,720.3	0.8%	0.5%
31	Thailand	$1,853.8	1.6%	0.5%
32	Ukraine	$686.9	4.5%	0.5%
33	Ethiopia	$486.8	7.1%	0.5%
34	Algeria	$874.6	2.9%	0.4%
35	Iraq	$700.6	3.6%	0.4%
36	Qatar	$380.2	6.1%	0.4%
37	Uzbekistan	$473.5	6.0%	0.4%
38	Colombia	$1,189.5	2.3%	0.4%
39	Iran	$1,878.9	1.1%	0.3%
40	Netherlands	$1,516.7	1.2%	0.3%
41	Singapore	$953.9	1.8%	0.3%
42	Israel	$567.6	3.9%	0.3%
43	Morocco	$431.3	4.2%	0.3%
44	Kenya	$403.2	4.9%	0.3%
45	Tanzania	$293.6	6.3%	0.3%
46	Côte d’Ivoire	$266.9	6.4%	0.3%
47	Guyana	$75.2	23.0%	0.3%
48	Peru	$653.1	2.7%	0.3%
-	Other Europe	$10,816.9	-	2.9%
-	Other Africa	$4,219.5	-	2.5%
-	Other Asia	$2,702.6	-	1.3%
-	Other Americas	$3,097.3	-	1.1%
-	Other Middle East	$816.3	-	0.4%

India follows as the second-largest contributor, accounting for 17% of global growth. Together, China and India are expected to generate more than 43% of global real GDP growth in 2026.

Among advanced economies, the U.S. is projected to contribute 9.9% of global growth, making it the largest contributor across all developed nations.

Europe’s contribution stands at 9.5% of global growth, spread across Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and other economies. Slower population growth, aging demographics, and tighter financial conditions continue to weigh on the region’s economic expansion.

When combined, the U.S. and the EU together account for just 16% of total global growth, with the center of economic momentum shifting toward emerging markets.

A Shifting Global Growth Landscape

From a regional perspective, the Asia-Pacific region dominates global growth with a 59.4% share, with Indonesia, Vietnam, and other economies playing a significant role alongside China and India.

North America contributes 11.4%, followed by Europe. Africa, which hosts most of the world’s fastest-growing economies, accounts for 7.7% of global growth, led by Nigeria, Egypt, and Ethiopia.

Overall, global growth in 2026 is forecast to be largely driven by countries in earlier stages of economic development, supported by population growth, workforce expansion, and rising consumption and government spending.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you found this infographic interesting, explore more global economic insights on Voronoi, including BRICS vs. G7 Real GDP Growth in 2026.