Nigeria’s Super Eagles have risen three spots to claim the 36th position in the latest FIFA World Rankings released in October.
According to the updated standings published by FIFA on Thursday, Nigeria accumulated 1503.29 points over the review period. The national team’s progress follows their 1-0 victory against Libya in the first leg of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, played on October 11 in Uyo.
This upward movement has also improved Nigeria’s standing in Africa. The Super Eagles now rank fourth on the continent, behind Morocco, Senegal, and Egypt, advancing from the sixth position they held in September.
Globally, October has been a busy month for international football, with significant action from 32 FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, 47 Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualifiers, 79 Nations League matches, and 17 international friendlies. These matches contributed to multiple shifts in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Rankings.
At the top of the global rankings, Argentina remains first, but the gap between them and France (2nd) and Spain (3rd) has narrowed. England (4th), Brazil (5th), and Belgium (6th) have maintained their positions. Meanwhile, Portugal (7th) and Italy (9th) have both moved up one spot. The Netherlands (8th) and Colombia (10th) each dropped one place, while Germany, now ranked 11th, is gaining ground, rising two spots.
Other notable movements include Algeria climbing four spots to 37th, Peru jumping five places to 38th, and Greece advancing six places to 42nd. Cameroon also made an impressive return to the top 50, moving up four places to 49th.
Several other African nations saw substantial gains in the rankings. Equatorial Guinea moved up six places to 88th, Zimbabwe advanced seven spots to 117th, The Gambia rose seven places to 128th, and Botswana made the most significant leap, climbing seven spots to 140th, gaining 38.30 points—the largest overall increase.
