In a surprising turn of events, Nigeria's Super Eagles have made significant progress in the global football standings despite their recent World Cup qualification disappointment.
Nigeria's Position Improves
The latest FIFA ranking released on Thursday, November 20, 2025, shows the Super Eagles moving up three places from their previous position. The Nigerian team, which was ranked 41st in October, now occupies the 38th position globally according to the fresh rankings.
This improvement comes as a positive development for Nigerian football fans, especially considering the team's failure to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The ranking boost demonstrates that the team's recent performances have still earned them recognition on the international stage.
African Football Landscape
Within the African continent, Nigeria maintains its fifth position behind four other football powerhouses. The current African ranking hierarchy places Morocco at the top, followed by Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria before Nigeria's Super Eagles.
The ranking assessment period included two important matches for the West African team. The Super Eagles delivered an impressive 4-1 victory against the Panthers of Gabon during the semi-final of the playoffs. However, their campaign ended with a 4-3 penalty shootout loss to the Leopards of Democratic Republic of Congo in the final match.
Global Ranking Shake-up
On the world stage, Spain continues to dominate the rankings, maintaining their top position ahead of football giants. The global top five now features Spain at number one, followed by Argentina, France, and England in the leading positions.
Brazil made notable progress, climbing two spots to secure fifth place and overtaking both the Netherlands and Portugal in the process. Portugal consequently slipped to sixth position, while the Netherlands dropped to seventh place in the rankings.
The complete top ten sees Belgium holding steady at eighth position, with Germany and Croatia rounding out the elite group of football nations. This latest ranking provides an interesting snapshot of the current international football landscape as teams prepare for upcoming tournaments and qualification campaigns.
