2026 United Nations Secretary-General selection

A United Nations Secretary-General selection is expected to be held in 2026 to choose the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The current United Nations Secretary General is António Guterres, whose term ends in 2026.{{Cite web |last=Samarasinghe |first=Natalie |date=2021-06-16 |title=Opinion: The road to the 2026 UN secretary-general race begins now |url=https://www.devex.com/news/opinion-the-road-to-the-2026-un-secretary-general-race-begins-now-100144 |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=Devex |language=en}}

Candidates

Several candidates have been proposed, but none have official confirmation yet.

= Speculative =

class="wikitable" ! Photo !! Candidate !! Country !! Regional Group !! Prior experience !! Citations
100px	Jacinda Ardern	{{flag\|New Zealand}}	Western European and Others Group	Prime Minister of New Zealand (2017–2023)	{{Cite web \|title=Rumoured potential candidates \|url=https://1for8billion.org/candidates-and-speculation \|access-date=2025-04-28 \|website=1 for 8 Billion \|language=en-GB}}
100px	Michelle Bachelet	{{flag\|Chile}}	Latin American and Caribbean Group	President of Chile (2006–2010, 2014–2018) United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2018–2022)	{{Cite news \|last=Dodds \|first=Felix \|last2=Spence \|first2=Chris \|date=2024-04-22 \|title=Africa: Who Should Be the Next UN Leader? - Part 6 \|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202404220153.html \|access-date=2025-01-09 \|work=Inter Press Service \|language=en}}
100px	Alicia Bárcena	{{flag\|Mexico}}	Latin American and Caribbean Group	Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs (2023–2024) Mexican Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (2024–present)	{{Cite news \|last=Dodds \|first=Felix \|last2=Spence \|first2=Chris \|date=2024-04-22 \|title=Africa: Who Should be the Next UN Leader? - PART 3 \|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202404220253.html \|access-date=2025-01-09 \|work=Inter Press Service \|language=en}}
100px	María Fernanda Espinosa	{{flag\|Ecuador}}	Latin American and Caribbean Group	President of the United Nations General Assembly (2018–2019)	{{Cite news \|last=Dodds \|first=Felix \|last2=Spence \|first2=Chris \|date=2024-04-22 \|title=Africa: Who Should be the Next UN Leader? - PART 4 \|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202404220242.html \|access-date=2025-01-09 \|work=Inter Press Service \|language=en}}
100px	Kristalina Georgieva	{{flag\|Bulgaria}}	Eastern European Group	Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (2019–present)
100px	Rafael Grossi	{{flag\|Argentina}}	Latin American and Caribbean Group	Argentine Ambassador to Austria (2013–2019) Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (2019–present)
100px	Rebeca Grynspan	{{flag\|Costa Rica}}	Latin American and Caribbean Group	Second Vice President of Costa Rica (1994–1998) Secretary-General of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (2014–2021) Secretary-General of UNCTAD (2021–present)	{{Cite news \|last=Dodds \|first=Felix \|last2=Spence \|first2=Chris \|date=2024-04-22 \|title=Africa: Who Should Lead the United Nations? - Part 5 \|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202404220225.html \|access-date=2025-01-09 \|work=Inter Press Service \|language=en}}
100px	Vuk Jeremić	{{flag\|Serbia}}	Eastern European Group	Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007–2012) President of the United Nations General Assembly (2012–2013)
100px	Amina J. Mohammed	{{flag\|Nigeria}} {{flag\|United Kingdom}}{{efn\|name=dual\|This person holds multiple citizenship.}}	African Group Western European and Others Group	Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (2017–present)	{{Cite news \|last=Dodds \|first=Felix \|last2=Spence \|first2=Chris \|date=2024-04-22 \|title=Africa: Who Should Be the Next UN Leader? - Part 1 \|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202404220272.html \|access-date=2025-01-09 \|work=Inter Press Service \|language=en}}
100px	Mia Mottley	{{flag\|Barbados}}	Latin American and Caribbean Group	Prime Minister of Barbados (2018–present)	{{Cite web \|last=Fillion \|first=Stephanie \|date=2023-09-29 \|title=Analysis: Who could lead the United Nations next? This Caribbean climate leader makes diplomats ‘jump’ with excitement \|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/09/29/americas/united-nations-secretary-general-mia-mottley-intl-latam/index.html \|access-date=2024-12-10 \|website=CNN \|language=en}}{{Cite news \|last=Dodds \|first=Felix \|last2=Spence \|first2=Chris \|date=2024-04-22 \|title=Africa: Who Should be the Next UN Leader? - PART 2 \|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202404220264.html \|access-date=2025-01-09 \|work=Inter Press Service \|language=en}}
100px	Achim Steiner	{{flag\|Brazil}} {{flag\|Germany}}{{efn\|name=dual}}	Latin American and Caribbean Group Western European and Others Group	Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (2017–present)

= Declined =

{{flagicon|Colombia}} Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia (2010–2018) (endorsed a female candidate)

Notes

References

Category:United Nations

Category:United Nations Secretary-General selection