Nigeria’s Super Eagles have retained their 26th position in the FIFA Men’s World Rankings released on Monday, just as it dropped into fourth position among African nations based on Egypt’s impressive campaign at the 2026 World Cup, according to the PUNCH Sports Extra.
Eric Chelle’s side garnered 1,585.2 points to remain top of Turkey, Australia, Algeria, Canada and Ivory Coast, who occupy 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st positions respectively in the global standings.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have not featured in competitive fight since June, when they lost to former European champions Portugal in an international friendly.
Nigeria’s continental drop was occasioned by Egypt’s run to the Round of 16 at the ongoing World Cup, where the Pharaohs were narrowly beaten three-two by Argentina, a result that lifted them to third in Africa.
Morocco retained their position as Africa’s highest-ranked sid after advancing to the quarter-finals of the tournament, with the Atlas Lions also climbing one place globally, from seventh to sixth. Senegal remain Africa’ssecond-ranked nation despite dropping three places in the world rankings, while Algeria slipped one place globally but held onto fifth position on the continent.
But the Super Eagles also remain the second-highest-ranked team among nations absent from the World Cup, being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, with only Denmark, ranked 21st globally, sitting higher among the absentees.
England and Chelsea great John Terry was among those to express disappointment at Nigeria’s non-appearance, describing the Super Eagles as a significant loss to a tournament featuring 48 nations for the first time.
Chelle’s side had finished second in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers after South Africa, who secured automatic qualification, before keeping their hopes alive with a playoff semi-final win over Gabon.
Nigeria’s campaign ended in the decisive playoff final, where they fell to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties, marking their second successive absence from the World Cup after also missing the 2022 edition in Qatar.
The Nigeria Football Federation had challenged DR Congo’s qualification, alleging the use of unqualified players during the campaign, but the appeal was dismissed.
In the latest global rankings, the World Cup champions Spain returned to the number one position, with Argentina dropping to second. France, England and Brazil complete the top five.
The next edition of the FIFA Men’s World Rankings is expected to be released on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
About The Author
