Morocco has reached its highest-ever position in the FIFA men's world rankings, climbing to eighth place following a strong showing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Despite losing the final to Senegal, who rose to a record 12th, the Atlas Lions returned to the top 10 for the first time since 1998. The update, released on January 20, 2026, reflects the impact of the recent AFCON tournament on African teams.
The FIFA men's world rankings were updated on January 20, 2026, marking the first revision of the year and highlighting significant movements among African national teams after the conclusion of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
In the final held in Rabat on January 19, Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 in extra time to claim their second AFCON title in three editions. Morocco had a chance to win in regulation time with a last-gasp penalty, but Brahim Diaz missed the kick after a 14-minute delay caused by Senegal players protesting the decision and briefly walking off the field.
Despite the defeat, Morocco surged three places from 11th to 8th, equaling their previous best ranking of 10th achieved in April 1998 and marking their first top-10 finish in nearly three decades. This ascent displaced Belgium to ninth and Germany to 10th, while Croatia fell to 11th.
Champions Senegal made an even bigger leap, rising seven spots to 12th—their highest ranking ever, surpassing their previous best of 17th in 2024. Bronze medalists Nigeria climbed 12 positions to 26th, gaining the most points at 79.09, while Cameroon also rose 12 spots to 45th after reaching the quarterfinals.
Other African teams saw varied fortunes: Egypt advanced four places to 31st after their semifinal run, Algeria gained six to 28th, and Côte d'Ivoire moved up five to 37th. In contrast, Gabon dropped to 86th after losing 44.97 points in the group stage, and Equatorial Guinea slid 10 spots to 107th.
The top seven rankings remained unchanged: Spain held first with 1,877.18 points, followed by Argentina (1,873.33), France (1,870), England (1,834.12), Brazil (1,760.46), Portugal (1,760.38), and the Netherlands (1,756.27). Morocco's new position at 1,736.57 points underscores the growing strength of African football ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
This update demonstrates the AFCON's influence, with several African sides shifting positions dramatically while European and South American powerhouses stayed steady.
