FIFA Ranking: Nigeria move up one spot but slip out of Africa’s top 5

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have dropped out of the top five teams in Africa, as the latest FIFA rankings see reigning Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions Cote d’Ivoire overtake them for fifth place on the continent.

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

Since their heartbreaking loss to Cote d’Ivoire in the AFCON final in February, the Super Eagles have struggled for consistency.

In their last 11 matches across all competitions, Nigeria has won just four, drawn four, and lost three.

Their 2025 campaign started on a high note with a solid 2-0 away victory against Rwanda in the World Cup qualifiers.

DOWNLOAD HERE

However, they failed to build on that momentum, settling for a disappointing 1-1 draw at

home against Zimbabwe in March.

Meanwhile, Cote d’Ivoire has been in exceptional form, winning eight of their last 11 games.

Their recent 1-0 victories over Burundi and Gambia have strengthened their position in the race for the 2026 World Cup, securing 16 points and maintaining their lead in their qualifying group ahead of Gabon.

This strong performance has propelled the Elephants into Africa’s top five, alongside Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria.

Global Rankings: Nigeria Makes Slight Progress

Despite their drop in Africa’s pecking order, the Super Eagles have moved up one spot globally, climbing from 44th to 43rd in the latest FIFA rankings.

However, this minor improvement has not been enough to keep them among the continent’s top teams.

At the international level, Argentina remains the world’s top-ranked team, followed by France, England, Brazil, and Spain.

The rest of the global top 10 includes the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, and Germany.