Nigeria Holds 26th in FIFA Rankings, Second-Highest Among Teams Not at 2026 World Cup
Nigeria stayed at 26th in the FIFA Men's World Ranking released Thursday. Only Denmark finished higher among nations that did not qualify for the expanded tournament.
nypost.comNigeria remained in 26th place in the FIFA Men's World Ranking released on Thursday, 11 June 2026, placing the Super Eagles second among nations that failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Only Denmark, ranked 21st, sits higher on the list of non-qualifiers. The ranking was issued as the tournament opened across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Nigeria maintained its position after a series of June matches that included a 2-0 win over Zimbabwe and a 3-0 victory against Jamaica in the Unity Cup final in London, a 2-2 draw with Poland in Warsaw, and a 2-1 loss to Portugal in Leiria on Wednesday, 10 June 2026.
Nigeria is Africa's third-highest-ranked side behind Morocco, which stands seventh globally, and Senegal. Algeria and Egypt complete the continent's top five.
The 26th-place standing marks Nigeria's highest FIFA position in almost a decade. The team rose 12 places after finishing third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Nigeria's absence from the 48-team World Cup follows an unsuccessful qualifying campaign.
The Super Eagles have appeared at six previous tournaments and reached the Round of 16 on three occasions. Argentina leads the latest ranking, followed by Spain, France, England, Portugal, Brazil, Morocco, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The next FIFA World Ranking is scheduled for release on 20 July 2026, one day after the World Cup final.
