The Super Eagles of Nigeria have surged four spots to claim the 41st position in the latest FIFA men’s rankings-south-africa-benin-rise/” title=”… Falls in … While South Africa and Benin Surge Ahead”>world rankings, reestablishing themselves among Africa’s elite top five teams.
Published on Friday, the updated FIFA rankings highlight a significant leap for Nigeria, moving up from 45th to 41st globally.
As three-time champions of Africa, Nigeria has now surpassed Ivory Coast, which currently holds the 42nd spot worldwide.
This upward trajectory is largely attributed to Nigeria’s impressive performances in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, including a hard-fought 2-1 triumph over Lesotho in Polokwane and a dominant 4-0 victory against Benin Republic on home soil in Uyo.
These wins not only enhanced their ranking points but also guaranteed Nigeria’s advancement to the African playoff stage for the 2026 World Cup.
Next up, the Super Eagles will clash with Gabon, ranked 77th globally and 15th in Africa, competing for a place in the final playoff round where they could face either Cameroon or DR Congo.
On the continental front, Morocco continues to lead Africa’s rankings despite dropping one position to 12th worldwide.
Senegal holds the second spot in Africa and 18th globally, followed by Egypt at 32nd and Algeria at 35th, with Nigeria completing the continent’s top five.
Rounding out Africa’s top ten are Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Mali, Cameroon, and South Africa.
At the global level, Spain remains firmly at the summit of the FIFA rankings, bolstered by consecutive World Cup qualifying victories against Georgia and Bulgaria.
France is also in a strong position to qualify for the upcoming tournament in North America, though they experienced a slight setback after a 3-0 win over Azerbaijan was followed by a 2-2 draw with Iceland.
Meanwhile, reigning World Cup champions Argentina capitalized on France’s stumble, climbing back to second place thanks to friendly match wins over Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
