Nigeria’s Super Eagles have recorded their biggest climb in more than a decade in the latest FIFA World Rankings, released on Monday.
The new rankings, the first of 2026, see Nigeria surge to 26th place in the world, a remarkable 12-position jump from their previous standing of 38th at the end of 2025.
Nigeria Post World’s Biggest Points Gain
According to a statement published by FIFA on its official platform, the Super Eagles recorded the highest points gain of any national team worldwide in the latest ranking window.
Nigeria amassed a staggering +79 ranking points, a haul FIFA described as the “most points scored” by any team globally during the period under review.
The sharp rise confirms Nigeria as one of the biggest movers in world football and reflects the impact of their impressive run at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Highest Ranking Since 2010
The new position represents Nigeria’s highest FIFA ranking in over 15 years.
The last time the Super Eagles reached a comparable height was in March 2010, when they climbed to 21st in the world following a strong run of results.
Since then, the team endured years of fluctuation and inconsistency, and now, they have succeeded and surpassed the last record.
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AFCON 2025: The Catalyst
Nigeria’s climb is a direct reward for their outstanding performance at AFCON 2025, where they finished third overall.
Under head coach Eric Chelle, the Super Eagles were among the tournament’s most consistent and entertaining teams, sealing the bronze medal with a tough 4–2 victory over Egypt in the third-place playoff.
Across the competition:
- Nigeria won five matches
- Drew two in regulation time
- Suffered no defeat in open play
- Their only loss came in the semi-final against hosts Morocco, decided on penalties
Goals, Grit and Consistency
The Super Eagles combined defensive solidity with attacking flair, recording victories over:
- Tanzania
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Mozambique
- Algeria
Nigeria finished as AFCON 2025’s highest scorers with 14 goals, surpassing their previous best tally of 12 at a single tournament.
The numbers reinforced the sense of a team playing with confidence, balance and ambition.
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African Rankings Reshuffled
Nigeria were not alone in enjoying a major boost.
- Morocco, beaten finalists, climbed to a historic all-time high of 8th in the world
- AFCON champions Senegal surged from 19th to 12th globally
- Cameroon were joint-biggest climbers in Africa, jumping 12 places from 57th to 45th
The new African top five now reads:
- Morocco
- Senegal
- Nigeria
- Algeria
- Egypt
They are followed by Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Tunisia, DR Congo and Mali to complete the continent’s top ten.
Global Top 10 Unchanged
At the summit of world football, there was no movement among the leading nations. The global top five remains:
- Spain
- Argentina
- France
- England
- Brazil
They are followed by
6. Portugal,
7. the Netherlands,
8. Morocco,
9. Belgium and
10. Germany.
