Nigeria FIFA ranking rises to 38th as Super Eagles climb after key fixtures, offering renewed optimism ahead of AFCON

Nigeria have risen three places to 38th in the latest FIFA men’s world ranking, according to figures released on Wednesday, marking a positive shift for the Super Eagles after a demanding month of competitive fixtures.

Also read: Super Eagle rises to 41st in FIFA ranking, 5th in Africa

The update, which tracked 149 international outings, underlines an encouraging turn in the Nigeria FIFA Ranking despite the heartbreak of missing out on the 2026 World Cup.

The rise follows Nigeria’s commanding 4–1 win over Gabon and the tense 1–1 draw with DR Congo that ended in a 4–3 penalty loss during the African play-off.

Although the defeat ended World Cup hopes, the results provided enough weight to move the Super Eagles up the global table.

Nigeria now hold 1,502.46 points, placing the nation fifth in Africa behind Morocco, Senegal, Egypt and Algeria.

Morocco remain Africa’s highest-ranked side with 1,713.12 points, while Senegal sit 19th on 1,648.07. Egypt and Algeria follow closely with 1,520.68 and 1,516.37 respectively.

Nigeria’s advantage over Tunisia, who sit 40th with 1,497.13 points, remains narrow. Other continental rivals, including Ivory Coast on 1,489.59 points and DR Congo on 1,442.50, trail by wider margins.

The gap to Morocco stands at a striking 210.66 points, highlighting the intense competition across Africa.

FIFA explained that the shifts in the standings were influenced by cross-confederation fixtures and the completion of qualification rounds for the 2026 World Cup.

Spain top the global ranking, followed by Argentina and France, while Brazil climbed two places to fifth, allowing room for movement from other nations.

For Nigeria, the rise to 38th offers a measure of consolation following national disappointment. Their play-off outing in Rabat began brightly when Frank Onyeka opened the scoring, but Elia Meschack’s equaliser and the subsequent penalty shoot-out denied the Super Eagles a place at the expanded finals to be held in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The timing of the latest Nigeria FIFA Ranking boost carries significance. With the Africa Cup of Nations approaching in December, the Super Eagles have a clear chance to reinforce or improve their position.