Nigeria’s Super Eagles move up to third in Africa after AFCON 2025 but remain 38th globally in the latest FIFA rankings

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have climbed to third place in Africa while retaining their 38th position globally in the latest FIFA Men’s World Rankings released on Monday.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Eagles rose from fifth to third on the continent following their strong showing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, where they finished third overall.

Despite the continental rise, Nigeria’s global ranking remained unchanged at 38th in the January 2026 standings.

Senegal and Morocco, finalists at AFCON, lead Africa’s rankings and are placed 19th and 11th respectively in the world.

Algeria and Egypt occupy fourth and fifth positions in Africa, while DR Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Mali and Tunisia complete the continent’s top 10.

Morocco remain Africa’s highest-ranked team globally, followed by Senegal, Algeria, Egypt and Nigeria in the continental order.

Other African teams in the top 10 include Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, DR Congo and Cameroon, all ranked between 41st and 57th worldwide.

Globally, Spain retained the number one position, ahead of Argentina and France. England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Croatia round out the world’s top 10.

NAN noted that Nigeria’s improved African standing reflects a strong AFCON campaign, highlighted by a 4–2 victory over Egypt in the third-place match.

The Super Eagles won six of their seven matches, defeating Tunisia and Algeria, but lost their semi-final to hosts Morocco on penalties.

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However, analysts warn that Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup could negatively impact their global ranking in future updates.