Nigeria have climbed three spots to 38th in the latest FIFA men’s world ranking released on Wednesday, after a month in which the Super Eagles featured in two competitive matches.
The updated ranking—covering 149 international fixtures since the previous release—takes into account Nigeria’s 4–1 win over Gabon and their 1–1 draw with DR Congo, which ended in a 4–3 loss on penalties in the African play-off.
Although the Super Eagles suffered the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, their performances were enough to push them slightly higher in the standings.
Nigeria’s revised points total is now 1,502.46, placing them fifth in Africa behind Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria.
Morocco remain the continent’s highest-ranked team with 1,713.12 points. Senegal sit 19th globally with 1,648.07 points, Egypt are 34th on 1,520.68, while Algeria rank 35th with 1,516.37 points.
A deeper look at the African standings shows how closely grouped the teams around Nigeria are.
The Super Eagles maintain a slim lead over Tunisia, who hold 40th place with 1,497.13 points, and a more comfortable gap over Ivory Coast and DR Congo, with 1,489.59 and 1,442.50 points respectively.
In contrast, Morocco’s lead over Nigeria stands at a significant 210.66 points.
FIFA explained that the latest movements in the rankings were influenced by intercontinental results and the completion of final qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup.
Spain continue to top the global standings, followed by world champions Argentina and France. Brazil climbed two positions to fifth after strong recent performances, creating opportunities for other nations to shift upward.
For Nigeria, the jump to 38th spot provides slight reassurance amid the broader national frustration.
The World Cup play-off in Rabat initially looked promising, with Frank Onyeka putting Nigeria ahead early, but Elia Meschack’s equaliser and the ensuing penalty defeat cost the team a spot at the expanded 48-nation tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
The timing of this ranking update is noteworthy. With the Africa Cup of Nations taking place in December, Nigeria will soon have a chance to strengthen or improve their position. A strong showing in Morocco could help them climb further.