African Teams Surge up the World Rankings

Argentina still lead the way, but the top three are bunching up

Thirty-two qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 26™, 47 for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025, 79 Nations League matches and 17 friendlies were played during the recent international window, making October 2024 a particularly busy month of football and one that has led to a number of changes in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking.

The top three teams are also bunching up. Argentina (1st) are still on top, but their lead over France (2nd) and Spain (3rd) has been cut. England (4th), Brazil (5th) and Belgium (6th) have all held on to their positions. Portugal (7th, up 1) and Italy (9th, up 1) are the only climbers within the top ten, which is completed by the Netherlands (8th, down 1) and Colombia (10th, down 1), with Germany (11th, up 2) now knocking on the door.

Elsewhere, Algeria (37th, up 4), Peru (38th, up 5) and Greece (42nd, up 6) have all made moves worthy of note, and Cameroon (49th, up 4) have returned to the top 50.

Other African teams to have made significant progress in the ranking include Equatorial Guinea (88th, up 6), Zimbabwe (117th, up 7), The Gambia (128th, up 7) and Botswana (140th, up 7), the last of whom, the Zebras, have posted the biggest jump overall in terms of points gained (up 38.30 points).

There is further cause for celebration for Africa as two other CAF teams have climbed the most places (ten) in this edition of the ranking, namely Comoros (108th) and Sudan (110th), who came out on top against Tunisia and Ghana, respectively, in their recent home-and-away duels as part of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualifiers.

Comoros have been on the up for several months now and they are once again in their highest-ever position in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking.

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 28 November 2024.

Leaders Argentina (unchanged)

Moves into top 10 None

Moves out of top 10 None

Matches played in total 175

Most matches played 166 teams (2 matches each)

Biggest move by points Botswana (up 38.30 points)

Biggest move by ranks Comoros, Sudan (up 10 ranks)

Biggest drop by points Cabo Verde (down 38.30 points)

Biggest drop by ranks Tunisia (down 11 ranks)

Newly ranked teams None