Nigeria’s Super Eagles have soared in the latest FIFA rankings, climbing three spots. Explore the implications of this rise and the team’s recent performances on the global stage.
The Super Eagles have climbed three spots to reach 36th in the latest FIFA rankings.
Earlier this month, Nigeria secured a 1-0 victory over Libya in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier for 2025, and as a result, they have risen to fourth place in the continental rankings. The return match set to take place in North Africa has been postponed due to unsportsmanlike conduct by Libyan authorities.
In the overall continental rankings, Morocco’s Atlas Lions topped Africa. They hold 13th place in the world standings, with Senegal following at 20th.
Rounding out the top five teams on the continent are Egypt, ranked 30th; Nigeria, holding the 36th spot; and Algeria, positioned at 37th.
FIFA announced on its website Thursday that Africa has more reasons to celebrate, as two other CAF teams made the biggest leaps in this edition of the rankings. Comoros moved up to 108th and Sudan advanced to 110th after winning their recent home-and-away matches against Tunisia and Ghana respectively during the qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations 2025.
On the international stage, Argentina retains the leading position, followed by France. Spain holds third place, with England, Brazil, and Belgium completing the top six in that sequence.
Portugal ranks seventh, the Netherlands eighth, Italy ninth, and Colombia tenth in the global rankings.
Among the most notable changes in the latest rankings are Algeria, which climbed to 37th place with a rise of 4 spots; Peru, advancing to 38th with an increase of 5 positions; and Greece, moving up to 42nd after gaining six places.
Cameroon climbed four spots to secure the 49th position globally, rejoining the top 50.
The rankings for October 2024 were released shortly after a hectic month globally, as teams competed for spots in the 2026 World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
“FIFA announced that 32 teams qualified for the FIFA World Cup 26, while there were 47 qualifiers for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025. In addition, October’s international window featured a jam-packed schedule with 79 Nations League matches and 17 friendlies. This busy month in football has significantly impacted changes in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking.”
