Nigeria’s Super Eagles have climbed four spots to 41st in the latest FIFA Men’s World Rankings, making a return to the top five football nations in Africa.
The updated rankings, released on Friday by FIFA, mark a significant boost for Nigeria, which rose from 45th place thanks to recent strong performances in its 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
The three-time African champions also moved ahead of the Ivory Coast, now ranked 42nd in the world.
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.
The Super Eagles are now set to face Gabon, currently ranked 77th in the world and 15th in Africa, for a place in the final playoff round, where either Cameroon or DR Congo could await.
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.
World Cup holders Argentina took advantage of Les Bleus’ slip by climbing back into second place with friendly successes against Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
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