Related Party Transactions - Narrative (Details)					3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 06, 2018 USD ($)	Aug. 14, 2018 $ / shares	Sep. 02, 2016 shares	Jun. 02, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) property shares	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2017 property	Dec. 22, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 16, 2016 USD ($)
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from related parties					$ 16,000			$ 16,000	$ 16,000
Due to related parties					790,000			790,000	829,000
Distributions to non-controlling interest holders								585,000	739,000	$ 2,008,000
Dividends payable					2,664,000			$ 2,664,000	2,556,000
Number of real estate properties, no longer subject to oversight fee (property) | property											12
Period to reinvest proceeds								180 days
Proceeds from sale of real estate								$ 30,300,000
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of properties sold (property) | property								1
Gain fee								$ 0	800,000
Incurred
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party expenses (reversals)								28,234,000	25,634,000	22,971,000
Incurred | General and Administrative Expense
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party expenses (reversals)								1,100,000	100,000	200,000
Forgiven
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party expenses (reversals)								$ 0	2,052,000	2,281,000
Stand Alone, Single Tenant, Net Leased | Unaffiliated Third Party Property Management Services | Europe | Gross Revenue, Managed Properties
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Property management fee, percent fee								0.25%
All other properties, other than stand alone, single tenant, net leased | Unaffiliated Third Party Property Management Services | Europe | Gross Revenue, Managed Properties
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Property management fee, percent fee								0.50%
Singe Tenant Net Lease, Not Part of Shopping Center | Unaffiliated Third Party Property Management Services | Europe | Gross Revenue, Managed Properties
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Property management fee, percent fee								1.75%
All Other Property Types, Other Than Stand Alone, Single Tenant, Net Leased and Not Part of Shopping Center | Unaffiliated Third Party Property Management Services | Europe | Gross Revenue, Managed Properties
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Property management fee, percent fee								3.50%
Multi-Year Outperformance Plan
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Dividends payable					0			$ 0
OP Units
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
OP unit distributions paid									100,000	1,000,000
LTIP Units
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Distributions to non-controlling interest holders								600,000	600,000
The Letter Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from related parties					$ 0			$ 0				$ 5,100,000	$ 6,300,000
OP Units
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Conversion of stock (in shares) | shares			421,383				181,841
Global Net Lease Advisors, LLC | Advisor And Scott J. Bowman | Chief Executive Officer
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Direct membership interest					5.00%			5.00%
Global Net Lease Advisors, LLC | Scott J. Bowman | Chief Executive Officer
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Direct membership interest					10.00%			10.00%
Third party professional fees and offering costs
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due to related parties									800,000
Incentive Compensation | Recurring Fees | Incurred
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party expenses (reversals)					$ (400,000)	$ 400,000		$ 0	0	0
Property management and leasing fees | Recurring Fees
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party expenses (reversals)									4,200,000	3,800,000
Property management and leasing fees | Recurring Fees | Incurred
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party expenses (reversals)								5,022,000	4,281,000	3,802,000
Property management and leasing fees | Recurring Fees | Forgiven
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party expenses (reversals)								$ 0	$ 1,177,000	2,281,000
AR Global, LLC | Global Net Lease Advisors, LLC
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Indirect membership interest					95.00%			95.00%
AR Global, LLC | Global Net Lease Advisors, LLC | Advisor
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Indirect membership interest					90.00%			90.00%
Limited Partner
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Operating partnership units (in shares) | shares					35,900			35,900	39,904
Limited Partner | OP Units
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Conversion of stock (in shares) | shares			5
Advisor
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Minimum base management fee and variable base management fee, maximum percent of assets under management, range one	0.75%
Minimum base management fee and variable base management fee, maximum amount under management, range one	$ 3,000,000,000
Minimum base management fee and variable base management fee, maximum percent of assets under management, range two	0.75%
Minimum base management fee and variable base management fee, cap on annum aggregate amount, maximum amount of assets under management, range two	$ 3,000,000,000
Minimum base management fee and variable base management fee, cap on annum aggregate amount, maximum amount of assets under management, range two denominator	$ 11,700,000,000
Minimum base management fee and incentive compensation payable, maximum percent of assets under management, range three	0.35%
Minimum base management fee and variable base management fee, cap on annum aggregate amount, maximum amount of assets under management, range two	$ 3,000,000,000
Minimum base management fee and variable base management fee, maximum percent of assets under management, range three	0.40%
Minimum base management fee and variable base management fee, maximum amount under management, range three	$ 14,700,000,000
Advisor | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due to related parties					$ 49,000			$ 49,000	$ 49,000
Advisor | Maximum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Minimum base management fee and variable base management fee, cap on annum aggregate amount, maximum amount of assets under management, range two	$ 14,600,000,000
Advisor | Amended Advisory Agreement
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Base fee				$ 18,000,000
Variable fee, percent of cumulative net proceeds				1.25%
Incentive Compensation, percent payable in cash				50.00%
Incentive Compensation, percent payable in shares				50.00%
Percent of Core AFFO per weighted average share outstanding in excess of incentive hurdle one				15.00%
Percent of Core AFFO per weighted average share outstanding, incentive hurdle one (in dollars per share) | $ / shares				$ 2.37
Percent of Core AFFO per weighted average share outstanding in excess of incentive hurdle two				10.00%
Percent of Core AFFO per weighted average share outstanding, incentive hurdle two (in dollars per share) | $ / shares				$ 3.08
Incentive compensation, percent of core adjusted funds from operations per weighted average share outstanding, incentive hurdle one, period one | $ / shares		$ 2.15
Incentive compensation, percent of core adjusted funds from operations per weighted average share outstanding, incentive hurdle one, period two | $ / shares		2.25
Incentive compensation, percent of core adjusted funds from operations per weighted average share outstanding, incentive hurdle two, period two | $ / shares		$ 2.92
Minimum base management fee and incentive compensation payable, maximum percent of assets under management, range three				0.30%
Minimum base management fee and incentive compensation payable, maximum percent of assets under management, range one				1.25%
Minimum base management fee and incentive compensation payable, cap on annum aggregate amount, maximum amount of assets under management, range three				$ 5,000,000,000.0
Minimum base management fee and incentive compensation payable, maximum percent of assets under management, range two				0.95%
Minimum base management fee and incentive compensation payable, cap on annum aggregate amount, maximum amount of assets under management, range two				$ 15,000,000,000.0
Minimum base management fee and incentive compensation payable, cap on annum aggregate amount, maximum amount of assets under management, range three calculation base				1.25%
Minimum base management fee and incentive compensation payable, cap on annum aggregate amount, maximum amount of assets under management, range three denominator				$ 10,000,000,000.0
Variable fee payable, maximum sale of investments to trigger possible reduction				$ 200,000,000.0
Advisor | Amended Advisory Agreement | Minimum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percent of Core AFFO per weighted average share outstanding, incentive hurdle annual adjustment		0.00%		1.00%
Advisor | Amended Advisory Agreement | Maximum
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Incentive compensation, percent of core adjusted funds from operations per weighted average share outstanding, incentive hurdle two, period one | $ / shares		$ 2.79
Percent of Core AFFO per weighted average share outstanding, incentive hurdle annual adjustment		3.00%		3.00%
Minimum base management fee and incentive compensation payable, cap on annum aggregate amount, maximum amount of assets under management, range three				$ 15,000,000,000.0
Advisor | American Realty Capital Global Advisors, LLC
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from related parties					$ 16,000			16,000
Related party expenses (reversals)								$ 0	$ 0	0
Advisor | American Realty Capital Global Advisors, LLC | Maximum | Average Invested Assets | Greater Of
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Operating expenses as a percentage of benchmark					2.00%			2.00%
Advisor | American Realty Capital Global Advisors, LLC | Maximum | Net Income, Excluding Additions to Non-cash Reserves and Gains on Sales of Assets | Greater Of
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Operating expenses as a percentage of benchmark					25.00%			25.00%
Investor | OP Units
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Conversion of stock (in shares) | shares			305,411
Service Provider | OP Units
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Conversion of stock (in shares) | shares			115,967
Property Manager | American Realty Capital Global Properties, LLC | Maximum | Gross Revenue, Managed Properties
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Oversight fees as a percentage of benchmark					1.00%			1.00%
Property Manager | American Realty Capital Global Properties, LLC | Maximum | Gross Revenue, Managed Properties | Stand Alone, Single Tenant, Net Leased
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Oversight fees as a percentage of benchmark					2.00%			2.00%
Property Manager | American Realty Capital Global Properties, LLC | Maximum | Gross Revenue, Managed Properties | All other properties, other than stand alone, single tenant, net leased
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Oversight fees as a percentage of benchmark					4.00%			4.00%
Affiliated Entity | American National Stock Transfer, LLC | Transfer Agent Fees | General and Administrative Expense
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party expenses (reversals)										$ 200,000