Nigeria’s Super Eagles have slipped to sixth place in Africa but climbed one spot to 43rd globally in the latest FIFA rankings. The drop follows a mixed run of form, including a disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign. Ivory Coast overtook Nigeria, while Argentina remains No. 1 globally.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have dropped to sixth place in Africa after the latest FIFA rankings were released on Thursday. Despite moving up one spot globally to 43rd, Nigeria’s performance in recent international matches was not enough to retain their top-five position on the continent.
The Super Eagles earned points from two wins and two draws during the ranking period but were overtaken by Ivory Coast, who climbed five places to become Africa’s fifth-best team and the 41st-ranked team globally.
Nigeria’s struggles in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers have contributed to their slide. The team currently sits fourth in Group C with seven points from six matches, including a frustrating 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, Ivory Coast remains unbeaten in their qualifiers, leading Group F with 14 points and yet to concede a goal.
Morocco remains Africa’s highest-ranked team, followed by Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, and Ivory Coast. On the global stage, Argentina retained its No. 1 ranking, while Spain moved up to second, overtaking France, who dropped to third.
Elsewhere in the rankings, Myanmar made the biggest jump, climbing seven places to 162nd, while Guinea-Bissau suffered the steepest drop, falling eight spots to 128th after four consecutive losses.
The next FIFA rankings update is scheduled for July 10, with Nigeria hoping to reclaim its place among Africa’s elite
