Nigeria’s Super Eagles have climbed to 26th place in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, marking their highest position in 16 years and underscoring a significant resurgence in the country’s football fortunes. The ranking update, released by FIFA in January 2026, reflects Nigeria’s impressive performance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, where the team delivered a series of strong results against top opposition. The rise has been widely welcomed by football stakeholders and fans as a sign of renewed competitiveness at the global level, particularly after years of fluctuating form and inconsistent results on the international stage.
Under the guidance of head coach Eric Chelle, Nigeria emerged as one of the standout teams of the AFCON tournament, finishing with the bronze medal after a demanding and high-profile campaign. The Super Eagles played seven matches during the ranking window, recording six victories and just one defeat, a run that significantly boosted their FIFA points tally. Their campaign included a dominant 4–0 win over Mozambique in the round of 16, followed by a disciplined 2–0 victory against Algeria in the quarter-finals. Nigeria’s only loss came in the semi-final, where they were held to a goalless draw by tournament hosts Morocco before losing on penalties in a tense encounter that drew widespread attention.
The team responded strongly in the third-place playoff, once again demonstrating composure under pressure. Nigeria held Egypt to another scoreless draw before prevailing 4–2 in the penalty shootout to secure the bronze medal. FIFA confirmed that the Super Eagles gained 79.09 ranking points from their AFCON performances, the highest points increase recorded by any nation in the January 2026 update. The rise to 26th place represents Nigeria’s best ranking since May 2010, when they were placed 21st globally, providing historical context to the significance of the current achievement.
The impact of AFCON 2025 extended beyond Nigeria, reshaping the global standings and highlighting the growing influence of African football. Hosts Morocco enjoyed a notable boost despite losing the final to Senegal after extra time, climbing three places to eighth in the world. This marked Morocco’s highest-ever ranking and their first return to the global top 10 since April 1998. Senegal’s tournament triumph also translated into a significant rankings gain, as the African champions rose seven places to 12th, another national best that reflects their continued consistency on the continental and global stages.
Morocco’s ascent into the top 10 came at the expense of several established European sides, with Croatia, Belgium, and Germany all dropping places in the latest update. Elsewhere on the African continent, Cameroon matched Nigeria as the joint biggest mover by ranking positions, also climbing 12 places, while Algeria rose to 28th, Egypt to 31st, and Ivory Coast to 37th. FIFA’s latest figures show that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) now has nine teams ranked inside the world’s top 50, an increase of two compared with the end of 2025, reinforcing the notion that African teams are making steady gains on the global stage.
At the summit of the world rankings, Spain retained their position as the world’s number one team, followed by reigning world champions Argentina in second place and France in third. FIFA announced that the next edition of the men’s world rankings will be released on April 1, 2026, when teams’ performances in upcoming international fixtures will be reflected. For Nigeria, the latest rise represents both a reward for recent success and a benchmark to sustain as the Super Eagles look to build on their AFCON momentum and re-establish themselves among the world’s elite football nations.