Morocco Close in on Nigeria’s Historic FIFA Ranking Record

The Atlas Lions of Morocco have moved closer to equalling Nigeria’s historic position as the highest-ranked African nation in FIFA history, following their impressive performances at the ongoing FIFA World Cup.

Morocco are currently ranked sixth in the world after holding Brazil to a draw and defeating Scotland 1-0 in their group matches. A win against Haiti combined with a Brazil loss to Scotland could see the North Africans climb to fifth, replacing Brazil.

Should that happen, Morocco would share the honour with Nigeria as Africa’s highest-ranked nation in FIFA history. However, surpassing Nigeria outright may require Morocco to reach the semifinals, with higher-ranked teams such as Argentina, France, Spain, and England faltering early.

Meanwhile, Ghana’s Black Stars have emerged as the biggest climbers in the latest Ranking update. Caleb Yirenkyi’s dramatic 95th minute winner against Panama propelled Ghana from 73rd to 65th in the world, adding 33.83 ranking points, the most significant single-match rise of any nation in the latest update.

Despite the leap, Ghana remain 14th in Africa, where they have been positioned for much of the past year.

FIFA’s ranking system now operates on daily updates, meaning nations move up or down depending on match results during the World Cup. Even Nigeria, who are not participating in this year’s tournament, have benefitted slightly.

The Super Eagles climbed two places to 24th as of Saturday, June 20, 2026, reflecting the dynamic nature of the ranking algorithm.