Nigeria’s Super Eagles recorded the steepest drop in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, falling from 36th to 44th globally—an eight-place decline.
The three-time African champions’ total points dropped from 1503 to 1482.23, placing them 5th in Africa behind Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria.
The dip in ranking follows Nigeria’s disappointing performances in the last international window, including a 1-2 home loss to lowly-rated Rwanda in Uyo and a 1-1 draw against Benin Republic during the final phase of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers.
Globally, Argentina retained the top spot, followed by France, Spain, England, and Brazil in the top five. Meanwhile, Niger made the biggest leap, climbing nine places to 122nd with a 31.23-point increase.
The rankings reflect the impact of recent matches, including World Cup 2026 qualifiers, AFCON 2025 fixtures, and Nations League games.