FIFA Rankings: Morocco lead continent, Eagles remain top-ranked World Cup absentees
By Our Sports Correspondent in Abuja
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have held on to 26th spot in the latest FIFA Men’s World Rankings released on Monday, but dropped to fourth place on the African continent following Egypt’s impressive run at the 2026 World Cup.
According to Punch Sports Extra, Eric Chelle’s side earned 1,585.2 points to remain unchanged globally. They sit ahead of Turkey in 27th, Australia in 28th, Algeria in 29th, Canada in 30th and Ivory Coast in 31st.
The Eagles’ slide in Africa was triggered by the Pharaohs’ journey to the Round of 16 in the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Egypt were edged 3-2 by eventual finalists Argentina, a result that propelled them to third in Africa.
Morocco remain Africa’s top-ranked nation after reaching the quarter-finals. The Atlas Lions also climbed one place globally, from 7th to 6th. Senegal stay second in Africa despite falling three places worldwide, while Algeria dropped one global spot but retained fifth on the continent.
Nigeria have not played a competitive fixture since June, when they lost to former European champions Portugal in an international friendly. The inactivity contributed to their static ranking.
Despite missing the World Cup, the Super Eagles remain the highest-ranked team among nations absent from the 48-team tournament. Only Denmark, ranked 21st globally, sit higher among the absentees.
England and Chelsea legend John Terry was among those who lamented Nigeria’s absence, calling the Super Eagles “a significant loss” to a World Cup expanded to 48 nations for the first time.
Chelle’s men finished second in Group C of the CAF qualifiers behind South Africa, who sealed automatic qualification. Nigeria kept their hopes alive with a playoff semi-final victory over Gabon.
Their campaign ended in heartbreak in the decisive playoff final, where they lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties. It marks Nigeria’s second consecutive World Cup miss after failing to qualify for Qatar 2022.
The Nigeria Football Federation had protested DR Congo’s qualification, alleging the use of unqualified players during the campaign. FIFA dismissed the appeal, confirming Congo’s place at the finals.
Globally, World Cup champions Spain reclaimed the number one spot, pushing Argentina down to second. France, England and Brazil complete the top five.
The next FIFA Men’s World Rankings will be released on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. For the Super Eagles, the focus now shifts to rebuilding and ensuring a return to the global stage in 2030.
