By Kunle Solaja, Casablanca

Nigeria’s outstanding performance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has translated into a major global ranking breakthrough, as the Super Eagles surged 12 places in the January 2026 FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking to 26th in the world.

By gaining 79.09 points in the period under review, Nigeria is adjudged as the team with the most points scored.

The dramatic rise follows Nigeria’s bronze-medal finish at AFCON 2025, where they were never defeated in a series of seven matches, five of which were outright wins while the two others were drawn in regulation time.

Only finalists Senegal and Morocco recorded bigger continental headlines, but Nigeria’s leap is one of the most remarkable movements in the new rankings, matched only by Cameroon’s 12-place climb after reaching the quarter-finals.

The Super Eagles’ rise is an indication of the strength of their AFCON showing, where they combined tactical discipline with attacking flair, reminding the world of their pedigree.

While Senegal’s triumph pushed them up to a career-high 12th and Morocco returned to the top 10 at eighth, Nigeria’s jump back into the world’s top 30 signals a strong revival and renewed confidence in other competitions in future.

With nine African teams now in the world’s top 50, CAF’s growing influence is evident, and Nigeria’s resurgence stands as one of the brightest success stories of the African showpiece.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

By Kunle Solaja, Casablanca

Hosts Morocco may have fallen just short of lifting the Africa Cup of Nations trophy, but their superb campaign at AFCON 2025 has delivered a far-reaching reward: a historic return to the world’s top 10.

In the January 2026 edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking, the Atlas Lions climbed three places to eighth, their highest position ever and their first appearance inside the top 10 since April 1998.

The rise confirms Morocco’s growing status as a global football powerhouse, built on a magnificent run to the AFCON final, where they narrowly lost to Senegal after a dramatic contest. The ranking leap sees Morocco leapfrog Croatia, Belgium and Germany, with the Croatians dropping out of the elite bracket altogether.

For Moroccan football, the ranking is a fitting tribute to a tournament that showcased not just technical excellence, but organisational strength, passionate support and the Kingdom’s growing influence on the world football stage.

AFCON champions Senegal rose seven places to 12th, while Spain, Argentina and France remain the world’s top three teams. But for Morocco, eighth place is a landmark that underlines the nation’s rapid ascent since their historic World Cup semi-final run in Qatar 2022.

With nine African nations now inside the world’s top 50, CAF continues to strengthen its global footprint, and Morocco stand proudly at the forefront of that continental rise.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

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.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H