World's Most Polluted Cities 2026 Ranking Released

Key facts

• As of 4 May 2026, the real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) Ranking 2026 identifies Cobh in Cork, Ireland, as the most polluted city in the world with an AQI of 208.
• The top three most polluted cities globally are Cobh (208), Dungarvan (196), and Clonmel (192), all located in Ireland.
• Kashgar in Xinjiang, China, is ranked fourth with an AQI of 162, and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is ranked ninth with an AQI of 146.
• Five Indian cities are listed among the top 10 most polluted: Bikaner, Rajasthan (AQI 160), Patna, Bihar (AQI 154), Aurangabad, Bihar (AQI 152), Begusarai, Bihar (AQI 150), and Muzaffarpur, Bihar (AQI 136).
• Pollution drivers in these Indian cities include the construction industry and dry winds in Bikaner, traffic and construction dust in Patna, industrial presence in Aurangabad and Begusarai, and vehicular emissions and seasonal fires in Muzaffarpur.