Nigeria retains 38th spot in latest FIFA Men’s World ranking
Nigeria retains 38th spot in latest FIFA Men’s World ranking
By
Saheed Oyelakin
Nigeria has maintained its rank in the December 2025 FIFA men's world standings, remaining at the 38th position internationally, as per the latest update released on Monday.
Having not participated in any competitive matches since the last ranking, the Super Eagles preserved their points from November, totaling 1,502.
The nation currently holds the fifth position among African teams, following Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria.
Morocco retains the title of the top-ranked African team, positioned at 11th globally, while Senegal sits at 19th in the world rankings. Algeria is ranked 34th and Egypt 35th, with Nigeria next at 38th.
Additional African squads featured in the continental top 10 include Tunisia at 41st, Côte d’Ivoire at 42nd, Mali at 53rd, DR Congo at 56th, and Cameroon at 57th in the world rankings.
On the global front, Spain continues to top the rankings, having regained the number one position from Argentina in September 2025.
France stands in third place, while England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia fill the remaining top 10 spots, all remaining unchanged from the last rankings.
The December 2025 release, the final one for the year, comes after 42 international matches, highlighted by the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025.
Morocco’s triumph in this tournament has brought them close to entering the top 10 for the first time since April 1998, with only a margin of 0.54 points separating them from Croatia.
Key performers of 2025 include Kosovo, who advanced 19 spots to 80th following an impressive year, achieving seven victories and two draws from 10 games.
Norway (29th) and Suriname (123rd) also experienced notable advancements, while Jordan (64th), Vietnam (107th), and Singapore (148th) demonstrated the most significant upward movements in December, rising by two to three positions each.
Nigeria's preservation of its global standing indicates consistency yet highlights the necessity for the team to enhance its rank during the ongoing AFCON 2025.
