- Reclaims Africa’s Top 5 Spot
By Abiola Olawale
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have rocketed four places in the freshly released FIFA men’s world rankings, surging from 45th to 41st position.
This ascent also catapults the Super Eagles back into Africa’s top five, edging out rivals like the Ivory Coast and Tunisia.
The climb comes at a pivotal moment, just as the Super Eagles gear up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs.
The New Diplomat reports that Nigeria’s rise in the rankings follows a strong run in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, which included a 2–1 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane and a convincing 4–0 win against the Benin Republic in Uyo.
Those results not only boosted their ranking points but also secured Nigeria’s place in the continental playoffs for the 2026 World Cup.
On the continental stage, Morocco remains Africa’s highest-ranked team despite slipping one place to 12th in the world.
Senegal follows in second place on the continent and 18th globally, while Egypt (32nd) and Algeria (35th) complete Africa’s top four, with Nigeria rounding out the top five.
Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Mali, Cameroon, and South Africa complete Africa’s top ten.
Globally, Spain remains the team to beat at the top of the FIFA world ranking, strengthening their position with successive World Cup qualifying wins over Georgia and Bulgaria.
France is also well placed to secure a ticket to the tournament in North America, but will have to wait a little longer after following up a 3–0 victory over Azerbaijan with a 2–2 draw against Iceland.
