Despite failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in North America, Nigeria’s Super Eagles have risen three places to 38th in the latest FIFA rankings, Soccernet.ng reports.
The three-time African champions enjoyed a notable jump in the same month their FIFA World Cup hopes were extinguished in the African qualifying play-offs.
Released on Wednesday by world football governing body FIFA, the updated rankings reflect a busy international window that featured 149 matches across the globe.
Photo by Nsidibe Akpan Copyright: xxIMAGO
For Nigeria, the movement upward offers a small but significant consolation after a dramatic run in the African World Cup Qualifying Play-off tournament in Morocco.
Although the Super Eagles fell agonisingly short of securing a place in the inter-confederation play-offs, their performances, particularly their emphatic win over Gabon, provided enough ranking points to lift them from 41st to 38th in the world.
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Gabon thrashing boosts Super Eagles' standing
The key result behind Nigeria’s rise was their 4–1 extra-time victory over Gabon in the semifinal.
Victor Osimhen led from the front, scoring twice, while Chidera Ejuke grabbed his first-ever senior international goal for the Super Eagles. The dominant performance put Nigeria in the play-off final and also strengthened their standing in FIFA’s coefficient system, which places significant weight on competitive fixtures.
The Super Eagles' final clash against DR Congo ended 1-1 after extra time before West African giants fell 4–3 in a tense penalty shootout.
Crucially for the rankings, FIFA lists such matches as draws, meaning Nigeria avoided losing rating points despite the defeat. DR Congo, buoyed by their victories over Cameroon and Nigeria, rose to 56th in the world.
The Super Eagles now sit fifth in Africa, behind Morocco (11), Senegal (19), Egypt (34), and Algeria (35). Ivory Coast have dropped to seventh, with Tunisia climbing above them in the continental list.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup pathway, Nigeria’s upward movement marks their highest ranking since October 2024, when they reached 36th. Their best position in the last five years came in February 2024, peaking at 28th shortly after finishing as AFCON vice-champions in Côte d’Ivoire.
Globally, the top four teams – Spain, Argentina, France, and England – held their ground. Brazil climbed two places to fifth, overtaking Portugal and the Netherlands. Belgium remain eighth, while Germany and Croatia complete the top 10.
