Spain has ended 2025 as the number one men's team in the FIFA rankings, with the top 10 positions unchanged from November. The latest update, published on December 22, reflects limited changes primarily from Arab Cup matches. Morocco narrowed the gap to the top 10 but stayed in 11th place.
The FIFA Men's World Rankings for December 2025, released on Monday, confirm Spain at the summit with 1,877.18 points, ahead of Argentina (1,873.33) and France (1,870). The top 10 remains static: England fourth (1,834.12), Brazil fifth (1,760.46), Portugal sixth (1,760.38), Netherlands seventh (1,756.27), Belgium eighth (1,730.71), Germany ninth (1,724.15), and Croatia tenth (1,716.88). This follows the previous update on November 19, with only matches from the 2025 Arab Cup influencing the standings, as teams from CONMEBOL and UEFA did not play during this period.
Spain secured their position with strong World Cup qualifying results, including a 4-0 win over Georgia and a 2-2 draw against Turkey, topping Group E. They will face Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, and Cape Verde in Group H at the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Argentina held second after a 2-0 victory over Angola, while Portugal stayed sixth despite a 2-0 loss to Ireland and a 9-1 win over Armenia.
Morocco, champions of the Arab Cup after defeating Jordan in the final, climbed to 11th and closed the gap to Croatia to just 0.55 points, their closest to the top 10 since April 1998. Other notable movements include Vietnam rising three spots to 107th, the biggest leap, and the United States advancing to 14th, overtaking Mexico (15th) as CONCACAF's top team after unbeaten results against Paraguay and Uruguay.
The next rankings are due on January 19, 2026, following the Africa Cup of Nations. With the World Cup draw complete, future updates will not affect groupings but will shape perceptions ahead of the June tournament kickoff.
