Super Eagles projected to rise to 5th in Africa in FIFA Rankings
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are projected to move up to 5th place in Africa when the July FIFA rankings are released on Thursday, a slight improvement from their previous sixth position on the continent.
This upward shift comes despite a drop in their global ranking, as Nigeria is expected to slip one spot from 43rd to 44th worldwide. The team recently edged Jamaica 5–4 on penalties to win the Unity Cup in London and played to a 1–1 draw with Russia in Moscow, but those performances were not enough to keep them steady globally.
Once ranked as high as 5th in the world back in 1994—still the best-ever for an African nation—the Super Eagles have struggled to maintain consistency. After failing to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, they finished runners-up at the 2023 AFCON but now face the risk of missing the 2026 World Cup following a lukewarm start to their qualifying campaign.
Meanwhile, Morocco, Africa’s top-ranked team, continues its ascent, projected to climb from 12th to 11th in the world—just one spot away from matching its highest-ever ranking.
Senegal will remain second in Africa and 19th globally, while Egypt is expected to drop two places to 34th globally but stay third on the continent. Algeria will retain its 36th global ranking, holding firm at fourth in Africa.
Côte d’Ivoire, however, will fall from 41st to 45th globally, slipping from fifth to sixth in Africa, allowing Nigeria to overtake them in continental standing.
