Nigeria’s Super Falcons have climbed one place to 36th in the latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking, confirming their status as Africa’s top women’s football team, Soccernet.ng reports.
The new ranking, released by FIFA on Tuesday, shows a slight but important improvement from the 37th position the team held in December 2025. While the move may seem small, it reflects steady progress as the team builds towards the Women's Africa Cup of Nations later in the year.
Despite some mixed results in recent months, the Super Falcons remain comfortably ahead of their continental rivals. South Africa sit 58th in the world, followed closely by Ghana in 59th and Morocco in 62nd. Zambia complete Africa's top five.
On the global stage, Spain continue to lead the rankings, with United States, England, Germany, and Japan maintaining their status as the best five footballing nations in the world.
Nigeria’s rise was helped by recent international friendly matches, where they gained 3.35 ranking points to reach a total of 1602. However, that total is still slightly below the 1607 points they had recorded in December, showing there is still work to be done.
Super Falcons' moral high ahead of WAFCON 2026
A key part of the Falcons’ recent performance came in a two-match friendly series against Cameroon earlier this year.
The first game ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat, exposing some weaknesses in the team’s organisation and finishing. But just days later, the Super Falcons responded in impressive fashion, producing a far more aggressive and composed display to win 3-1.
In that second match, Chinwendu Ihezuo brought Nigeria back into the game with a well-taken header in the 32nd minute, finishing off a precise cross from Rinsola Babajide.
Babajide then turned from provider to scorer just before half-time, reacting quickly inside the penalty area to give Nigeria a 2-1 lead. The Falcons showed better movement and sharper attacking play, which had been missing in the first meeting.
The victory was sealed in the 64th minute when Michelle Alozie powered home a header from a well-delivered cross by captain Rasheedat Ajibade.
That win not only restored confidence but also played a direct role in boosting Nigeria’s ranking points.
Looking ahead, the Super Falcons are not scheduled to play another match before the next FIFA ranking update in June. Their focus is now firmly on preparations for the upcoming Women's Africa Cup of Nations 2026, where they will aim to extend their record as Africa’s most successful team.
The Super Falcons have been group alongside Egypt, Malawi and Zambia, with the immediate target being to make it past the group stage.
However, the reigning African queens will be aiming to reach the semifinals of the WAFCON which guarantees the ticket to the 2027 FIFA World Cup. There is also the small matter of retaining the continental crown they claimed for a record-extending tenth time on Moroccan soil last year.
