Nigeria’s Super Eagles have climbed four places to rank 41st in the latest FIFA Men’s World Rankings, reclaiming their position among the top five teams in Africa.
The new ranking, released by FIFA on Friday, reflects Nigeria’s recent resurgence following strong performances in their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. The Super Eagles, previously ranked 45th, moved ahead of Ivory Coast, which now sits in 42nd position globally.
Nigeria’s rise comes on the back of two impressive victories, a 2–1 win over Lesotho in Polokwane and a 4–0 triumph against the Benin Republic in Uyo. These results boosted their ranking points and solidified their place in the continental playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The three-time African champions will next face Gabon, currently ranked 77th in the world and 15th in Africa, in a crucial playoff tie that could see them meet Cameroon or DR Congo in the final round.
On the continental chart, Morocco remains Africa’s top-ranked nation, despite dropping one spot to 12th globally. Senegal follows as the continent’s second-best team (18th in the world), while Egypt (32nd) and Algeria (35th) complete the top four, with Nigeria rounding out the top five.
The rest of Africa’s top ten include Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Mali, Cameroon, and South Africa.
Globally, Spain continues to dominate the FIFA rankings after back-to-back World Cup qualifying wins against Georgia and Bulgaria. France, meanwhile, dropped to third after a 2–2 draw with Iceland, allowing World Cup holders Argentina to reclaim second place following victories over Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
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