The Nigerian national football team, known as the Super Eagles, has advanced four positions to 41st place in the latest FIFA Men’s World Rankings, as announced on October 17. This improvement reflects the team’s strong performance in recent 2026 World Cup qualification matches under coach Eric Chelle.
Previously ranked 45th, Nigeria has now surpassed Ivory Coast, which dropped to 42nd. This upward movement not only enhances Nigeria’s standing globally but also secures their participation in the African playoffs for the 2026 World Cup.
In the next stage of qualification, the Super Eagles will face Gabon, which is currently ranked 77th globally and 15th in Africa. A victory would advance Nigeria to the final playoff round, where they could potentially face either Cameroon or DR Congo.
On the continental level, Morocco remains Africa’s highest-ranked team despite dropping one spot to 12th globally. Senegal follows as the second-best African team, positioned 18th worldwide, with Egypt in 32nd, Algeria in 35th, and Nigeria rounding out Africa’s top five. Completing the continent’s top ten are Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Mali, Cameroon, and South Africa.
Globally, Spain continues to lead the rankings following strong performances in World Cup qualifying matches, including victories over Georgia and Bulgaria. World champions Argentina moved up to second place after friendly wins against Venezuela and Puerto Rico, while France dropped to third after a 2-2 draw with Iceland.
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