Nigeria’s Super Eagles have climbed four places to 41st in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, breaking back into Africa’s top five teams.
Released on Friday, the updated rankings reflect Nigeria’s strong recent form, which saw them rise from 45th to 41st globally, overtaking Ivory Coast, now ranked 42nd.
The jump follows Nigeria’s impressive performance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, including a 2–1 win over Lesotho in Polokwane and a dominant 4–0 victory against Benin Republic in Uyo. These results not only boosted their ranking points but also secured a place in the continental playoffs.
The Super Eagles are now set to face Gabon—ranked 77th in the world and 15th in Africa—for a spot in the final playoff round, where a potential clash with either Cameroon or DR Congo awaits.
On the African continent, Morocco remain the highest-ranked team despite slipping one place to 12th globally. Senegal are second in Africa and 18th worldwide, followed by Egypt (32nd), Algeria (35th), and Nigeria (41st) completing the top five.
Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Mali, Cameroon, and South Africa round out Africa’s top ten.
Globally, Spain hold the top spot in the FIFA rankings after consecutive World Cup qualifying wins over Georgia and Bulgaria. Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions, moved back into second place following friendly wins against Venezuela and Puerto Rico, overtaking France, who dropped to third after drawing 2–2 with Iceland following a 3–0 victory over Azerbaijan.
