Spain have retained top spot in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking, continuing to hold off world champions Argentina, as the December 2025 edition of the rankings was released following the conclusion of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™.

The end-of-year ranking, compiled after 42 international matches, confirms Spain (1st) as the world’s leading men’s national team, having reclaimed the summit from Argentina in September. The South Americans remain second, while France hold on to third place to complete an unchanged podium.

From an African perspective, Morocco remain the continent’s flagbearers on the global stage. Fresh from lifting the FIFA Arab Cup in Doha, the Atlas Lions are ranked 11th, unchanged from the previous edition, but are now within touching distance of the top 10. They trail Croatia, who occupy 10th place, by a mere 0.54 points — their closest approach to the elite bracket since April 1998.

The rest of the top 10 also remains stable, with England (4th), Brazil (5th), Portugal (6th), the Netherlands (7th), Belgium (8th) and Germany (9th) all holding their positions.

While Morocco’s ranking did not change, their Arab Cup campaign had a ripple effect elsewhere. Runners-up Jordan climbed two places to 64th after pushing the North Africans all the way in the final. Vietnam and Singapore recorded the biggest upward moves in the latest update, each climbing three places to 107th and 148th, respectively.

One of the standout stories of 2025 belongs to Kosovo, who finish the year 80th. Although their position is unchanged in December, they accumulated a remarkable 89.02 ranking points over the year — the highest of any nation — thanks to seven wins and two draws from 10 matches. Overall, Kosovo surged 19 places across 2025.

Other notable performers include Norway (29th), which earned 68.70 points during the year, and Suriname (123rd), who have climbed 15 places since December 2024. In total, 12 countries moved up between 10 and 14 places over the course of the year.

In terms of confederation representation, Africa maintains a strong presence in the global elite. CAF have seven teams in the top 50, matching CONMEBOL, while UEFA dominate with 26 nations. Concacaf improved its tally to five (up from four), alongside five from the AFC, with none from the OFC.

For Nigeria and the rest of Africa, Morocco’s sustained rise serves as a reminder of the continent’s growing competitiveness, with the Atlas Lions now knocking firmly on the door of the world’s top 10 as 2025 draws to a close.

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By Kunle Solaja

Nigeria’s Super Falcons have dropped one place in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings released on Thursday morning, slipping from 36th to 37th in the world. Despite the slight decline, the nine-time African champions remain the continent’s top-ranked team.

South Africa retain their position as Nigeria’s closest rivals on the continent, sitting 55th globally. Ghana recorded one of the biggest improvements among Africa’s top sides, rising five places to 62nd in the world. Zambia follow at 64th, while Morocco complete Africa’s top five, ranked 66th globally.

One of the standout movements came from Burkina Faso. Although ranked 15th in Africa, the Burkinabé side achieved the continent’s most significant leap—jumping 16 spots from 134th to 118th in the world—reflecting notable progress in their recent performances.

FIFA’s latest ranking cycle captures the growing competitiveness of women’s football across Africa, with several teams narrowing the gap behind continental leaders Nigeria.

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Nigeria’s Super Eagles have climbed up the global standings in the latest FIFA Ranking released on Thursday, despite failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The three-time African champions moved up to 38th in the world, buoyed by results recorded during the last international window. The ranking update covered 149 national-team matches played worldwide since the previous release.

Nigeria’s rise is attributed to their commanding 4–1 victory over Gabon and the 1–1 draw against DR Congo in the African play-offs, a match the Eagles eventually lost 4–3 on penalties, ending their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on the tournament, the performances were strong enough to boost the team’s coefficient, taking their new points total to 1,502.46.

The latest ranking places Nigeria fifth in Africa, trailing only Morocco, Senegal, Egypt and Algeria.

The updated standings come ahead of the Final Draw for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled for later today.

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