Nigeria’s Super Eagles have fallen out of Africa’s top five teams in the latest FIFA rankings, as Cote d’Ivoire overtakes them for fifth place. The rankings, released on Thursday, reflect Nigeria’s inconsistent form in recent months.
The three-time African champions are now ranked sixth in Africa after their AFCON 2024 final loss to Cote d’Ivoire in February. Their struggles in recent matches have cost them a place among the continent’s elite.
“Nigeria’s performances have been unpredictable, and that has impacted their ranking,” a FIFA official explained. “Strong teams need consistency.”
Nigeria’s Recent Performance
The Super Eagles have played 11 matches across all competitions, winning four, drawing four, and losing three. They began their 2025 World Cup qualifying campaign with a solid 2-0 away victory against Rwanda but failed to build on that momentum.
In their next match, they settled for a disappointing 1-1 draw at home against Zimbabwe. This result cost them valuable points and contributed to their drop in the rankings.
Meanwhile, Cote d’Ivoire has been in outstanding form, winning eight of their last 11 games. Their recent 1-0 victories over Burundi and Gambia have strengthened their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign. They now lead their group with 16 points, ahead of Gabon.
This strong performance has pushed the Elephants into Africa’s top five, alongside Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria.
Global Rankings: Nigeria Moves Up Slightly
Despite their drop in Africa’s ranking, the Super Eagles moved up one spot globally, climbing from 44th to 43rd in the latest FIFA rankings. However, this small improvement is not enough to keep them among Africa’s top teams.
At the international level, Argentina remains the world’s top-ranked team, followed by France, England, Brazil, and Spain. The rest of the top 10 includes the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, and Germany.
Africa’s Top 10 FIFA Rankings:
1. Morocco
2. Senegal
3. Egypt
4. Algeria
5. Cote d’Ivoire
6. Nigeria
7. Tunisia
8. Cameroon
9. Mali
10. South Africa
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