Nigeria’s Super Eagles have climbed up the global standings in the latest FIFA Ranking released on Thursday, despite failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The three-time African champions moved up to 38th in the world, buoyed by results recorded during the last international window. The ranking update covered 149 national-team matches played worldwide since the previous release.
Nigeria’s rise is attributed to their commanding 4–1 victory over Gabon and the 1–1 draw against DR Congo in the African play-offs, a match the Eagles eventually lost 4–3 on penalties, ending their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on the tournament, the performances were strong enough to boost the team’s coefficient, taking their new points total to 1,502.46.
The latest ranking places Nigeria fifth in Africa, trailing only Morocco, Senegal, Egypt and Algeria.
The updated standings come ahead of the Final Draw for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled for later today.
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