Nigeria’s Super Eagles have moved up three places to 38th in the latest FIFA World Rankings, rising despite their penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in the African World Cup Qualifying Play-off Final.
The new rankings — released by FIFA on Thursday — factor in 149 international fixtures, including 79 friendlies, played during the last international window, which confirmed several nations’ qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
The Eagles, previously 41st, received a significant boost from their dominant 4–1 victory over Gabon in the play-off tournament in Morocco. The result added enough ranking points to push Nigeria upward on the global list.
Nigeria also remains in Africa’s top five, sitting behind:
Morocco (11)
Senegal (19)
Egypt (34)
Algeria (35)
Ivory Coast slipped to seventh on the continent, while Tunisia climbed ahead of them following recent results.
Analyst Reactions to the Super Eagles’ Climb to 38th
- Adepoju Adebayo, African Football Data Analyst: “Despite the play-off loss, Nigeria’s jump isn’t surprising. The ranking formula rewards high-impact wins, and that 4–1 demolition of Gabon carried serious weight. It shows the team’s underlying strength remains intact. What they need now is consistency in competitive fixtures.”
- Kofi Mensah, Continental Football Research Group: “Nigeria’s rise mirrors the overall improvement we’ve seen under the new technical setup. The Super Eagles are still one of the most efficient attacking sides in Africa. Their issue isn’t capability—it’s closing out decisive games. Once they fix that, they’ll break into the global top 30 again.”
- Maryam Shaw, Global Rankings & Performance Analyst: “The jump highlights the volatility of African rankings during playoff windows. One strong win can undo the effect of a single painful defeat. Nigeria’s metrics—shots created, average xG, defensive recoveries—all point to an upward trajectory despite the setback against DR Congo.”
- Abdoulaye Karim, North & West Africa Football Observer: “Nigeria maintaining a top-five place in Africa is important psychologically ahead of AFCON 2025. They’re still seen as one of the continent’s elite. But the gap between Morocco, Senegal and the rest is widening. The Super Eagles must address their tactical lapses if they hope to close in.”
