The Super Eagles of Nigeria have climbed to 26th place in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, marking their highest position in 16 years following an impressive outing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
FIFA explained that Nigeria were among the biggest movers in the January 2026 ranking, rising 12 places after winning the bronze medal, gaining 79.09 ranking points, the highest increase recorded by any country in the update.
The world football body noted that Nigeria played seven matches during the ranking period, recording six wins and one defeat, with victories over Mozambique and Algeria before a penalty shootout loss to hosts Morocco in the semi-final.
FIFA also confirmed that the Super Eagles bounced back to defeat Egypt on penalties in the third-place match, a result that significantly boosted their ranking.
Hosts Morocco moved up three places to eighth despite losing the final to Senegal, their first return to the top 10 since 1998, while Senegal climbed to a national best 12th.
At the top of the table, Spain retained first place ahead of Argentina and France, as FIFA added that Cameroon and Nigeria recorded the joint biggest rise in positions, contributing to CAF now having nine teams in the world’s top 50 ahead of the next ranking release on April 1, 2026.