Spain are the latest leaders of the FIFA Men’s World Ranking after their victory over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final moved Luis de la Fuente’s side back to the top of the international standings.
La Roja defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final on July 19, securing their second World Cup title and replacing the reigning champions at the summit. FIFA’s latest official ranking was released on July 20 and remains the current ranking as of September 24, with the next update scheduled for October 7.
Spain Return to Number One
Spain moved up one place to first with 1,995.98 points, while Argentina dropped to second with 1,970.37.
France retained third place and England remained fourth despite England defeating France in the third-place play-off. Brazil climbed to fifth, while Morocco moved into sixth after their run to the World Cup quarter-finals.
The top 10 currently stands as follows:
- Spain
- Argentina
- France
- England
- Brazil
- Morocco
- Portugal
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Mexico
Mexico’s return to the top 10 is one of the notable changes. The co-hosts climbed four places to 10th, their first appearance inside the top 10 since March 2022. Germany, meanwhile, fell two places to 12th after being eliminated by Paraguay in the World Cup.
Morocco Make History
Morocco’s sixth-place position is another significant development in the latest FIFA rankings.
The Atlas Lions reached the World Cup quarter-finals and moved one place higher than their previous position. Their rise also puts Morocco just one place behind Brazil and ahead of Portugal.
Norway recorded the biggest movement among the leading nations. Their run to the World Cup quarter-finals lifted them 12 places to 19th, their highest position since August 2011. Switzerland also benefited from reaching the last eight, climbing five places to 14th.
Several other teams made notable gains following their performances at the tournament. Egypt climbed five places to 24th, Paraguay moved seven places to 34th, DR Congo rose five places to 41st, while South Africa and Ghana reached 54th and 65th respectively.
Nigeria Remain 26th
Nigeria are still ranked 26th in the world, according to FIFA’s current ranking.
The Super Eagles remain among the highest-ranked African teams despite not participating at the 2026 World Cup. Nigeria’s position places them below Morocco, Senegal and Egypt among African nations in the latest standings.
South Africa are 54th, while Ghana occupy 65th. The three African nations therefore remain separated by significant positions in the current global table.
World Cup Results Reshape the Rankings
The latest ranking reflects the impact of the 2026 World Cup, with 105 matches included in the calculation period and 104 of those played during the tournament.
FIFA’s ranking system uses an Elo-based model that takes factors including the result, the relative strength of the teams, the importance of the match and the expected result into account. This means the standings are not simply a table of World Cup finishing positions.
Spain’s return to the summit therefore follows directly from the points gained during their World Cup campaign, culminating in their extra-time victory over Argentina in the final.
The next official FIFA Men’s World Ranking is scheduled for October 7, when September’s international fixtures will be reflected in the standings.