Nigeria have moved up three places to 38th in the latest FIFA World Rankings published on Wednesday, reflecting a slight improvement in their global standing despite missing out on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Super Eagles featured in two crucial fixtures over the past month, both part of the World Cup African playoffs. Eric Chelle’s squad claimed an emphatic 4-1 victory over Gabon in the semi-final before battling the Democratic Republic of Congo to a 1-1 stalemate in the final. Although Nigeria eventually fell short in the 4-3 penalty shoot-out, those results still contributed positively to their ranking points.
Nigeria now boast a total of 1,502.46 points, which places the team fifth on the African continent. Only Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria are ranked higher.
Morocco continue to dominate as Africa’s highest-ranked nation with 1,713.12 points, followed by Senegal in 19th place globally with 1,648.07. Egypt hold 34th position on 1,520.68, while Algeria occupy 35th with 1,516.37 points.
Despite the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2026 tournament, Nigeria’s overall performances in recent matches have ensured an upward push in the international football ranking system.
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