FIFA, the world football governing body, released its latest world rankings for international football Thursday.
The FIFA rankings show that five African men’s football teams made it in to the global top 50; however, not a single African team made it in to the global top 10.
Cote d’Ivoire, which is ranked as No. 1 in Africa, is No. 34 in the world. Algeria follows closely with its position as No. 2 in Africa and No. 35 in the world.
Senegal, Tunisia, Ghana, Egypt, Congo, Mali, and Morocco complete the list of Africa’s top 10 teams.
In what appears to be an era of changing fortunes in African football, traditional African football powerhouses, such as Cameroun, South Africa, and Nigeria, failed to make the list of the continent’s top 10 teams in the latest rankings.
Cameroun dropped five places and had to settle for No. 59 in the world and 11th in Africa, the Bafana Bafana of South Africa were No. 62 in the world and 13th in Africa, and the Nigerian Super Eagles were No. 64 in the world and 14th in Africa.
In women’s football, Nigeria maintained its position as No. 1 in Africa and No. 37 in the global rankings; Ghana also maintained its position as No. 2 in Africa and No. 46 in the world.
Cameroun, South Africa, and Papau New Guinea come next with Nos. 47, 48, and 49 in the world and 3, 4, and 5 in Africa, respectively.
The latest rankings in men’s football also shows that Argentina and Belgium maintained their firm grip on the No. 1 and 2 positions, respectively.
Reigning world champion Germany moved up one spot to the No. 3 position while Columbia replaced it in the No. 4 position. Five-time World Cup winners Brazil climbed five places to share the No. 4 position with Columbia and earn a place among the top five teams in the world.
See the top 10 men and women African teams in the latest FIFA rankings below:
Men’s Football
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Algeria
- Senegal
- Tunisia
- Ghana
- Congo DR
- Egypt
- Congo
- Mali
- Morocco
Women’s Football
- Nigeria
- Ghana
- Cameroun
- South Africa
- Papau New Guinea
- Equatorial Guinea
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Tunisia
- Morocco
- Egypt
