FIFA Rankings: Nigeria Drop to Fourth in Africa

Nigeria's Super Eagles have retained their 26th position in the latest FIFA Men's World Rankings, but have slipped to fourth in Africa following Egypt's impressive performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While Nigeria's global ranking remained unchanged with 1,585.2 points, Egypt's rise to the Round of 16 saw the Pharaohs overtake the Super Eagles on the continental standings.

Egypt climbed to third in Africa after their strong World Cup showing, where they narrowly lost 3-2 to Argentina in the Round of 16. The latest rankings place Morocco as Africa's highest-ranked nation, followed by Senegal, Egypt, and Nigeria, highlighting the growing competition among the continent's top footballing nations.

Despite missing the 2026 World Cup, the Super Eagles remain among the world's top 30 teams, ahead of countries including Turkey, Australia, Algeria, Canada and Côte d'Ivoire. However, Nigeria's absence from the tournament denied the team an opportunity to earn valuable ranking points that could have improved its continental standing.

The updated rankings also saw Spain replace Argentina as the world's number one team after lifting the 2026 FIFA World Cup title. Nigeria will now look to improve its position through upcoming international fixtures as preparations begin for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.