Nigeria drop out of Africa’s top five as Cote d’Ivoire overtake Super Eagles in FIFA rankings

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have slipped out of Africa’s top five teams in the latest FIFA rankings, with reigning Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions Cote d’Ivoire overtaking them to claim fifth place on the continent, Soccernet.ng reports.

The new rankings, released on Thursday, reflect Nigeria’s inconsistent form in recent months, with the three-time African champions now sitting in sixth place.

Since losing the AFCON final to Cote d’Ivoire in February, Nigeria’s performances have been mixed. The Super Eagles have won just four of their last 11 matches in all competitions, drawing four and losing three.

Their 2025 campaign began with a convincing 2-0 away victory against Rwanda in the World Cup qualifiers, only to be followed by a frustrating 1-1 draw at home to Zimbabwe in March.

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In contrast, Cote d’Ivoire have been in formidable form, winning eight of their last 11 matches.

The Elephants’ solid run has kept them on course for the 2026 World Cup, with recent 1-0 victories over Burundi and Gambia helping them secure 16 points and maintain top spot in their qualifying group ahead of Gabon.

Their consistency has propelled them into Africa’s top five, where they join Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria in the upper ranks.

Despite Nigeria’s drop in the continental standings, the Super Eagles have moved up one place globally, climbing from 44th to 43rd in the overall FIFA rankings. However, this slight improvement was not enough to prevent their slide in the African pecking order.

On the global stage, Argentina continue to lead the FIFA rankings, followed by France, England, and Brazil, with Spain rounding out the top five. Meanwhile, the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, and Germany complete the world’s top 10.

Africa’s Top 10 Rankings:

1. Morocco
2. Senegal
3. Egypt
4. Algeria
5. Cote d’Ivoire 
6. Nigeria
7. Tunisia
8. Cameroon
9. Mali
10. South Africa

Nigeria’s next set of World Cup qualifiers presents an opportunity to reclaim a place among Africa’s elite, but with the competition intensifying, the Super Eagles will need to find consistency to avoid falling further behind.