Nigeria’s Super Eagles have climbed four places to 41st position in the latest FIFA Men’s World Rankings, reclaiming their spot among Africa’s top five football nations.
The updated rankings, released by FIFA on Friday, reflect Nigeria’s impressive run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, which saw the three-time African champions move up from 45th to 41st in the world — overtaking Ivory Coast, now ranked 42nd globally.
Nigeria’s surge came on the back of strong results in their qualifying campaign, including a 2–1 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane and a 4–0 triumph against Benin Republic in Uyo. These decisive wins not only boosted their ranking points but also secured the team a place in the continental playoff stage of the World Cup qualifiers.
The Super Eagles are now set to face Gabon, ranked 77th in the world and 15th in Africa, in the next playoff round. The winner of that clash will likely face either Cameroon or DR Congo in what promises to be a thrilling final stage.
On the African front, Morocco continues to lead the continent’s rankings despite dropping one spot to 12th globally. Senegal follows as Africa’s second-best team and 18th worldwide, while Egypt (32nd) and Algeria (35th) complete the top four — with Nigeria rounding out the top five.
Other African nations in the top ten include Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Mali, Cameroon, and South Africa.
Globally, Spain retained the No. 1 position following back-to-back World Cup qualifying victories over Georgia and Bulgaria. Meanwhile, France slipped slightly after a 2–2 draw with Iceland despite a 3–0 win against Azerbaijan, allowing world champions Argentina to climb back to second place after friendly wins against Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
Nigeria’s steady upward momentum has reignited optimism among fans, as the Super Eagles continue their quest to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
