Tunde Omoniyi
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have dropped to 45th in the latest FIFA Men’s World Rankings released on Thursday, reflecting a continued decline following their 1-1 draw against South Africa in the World Cup qualifiers.
The Eric Chelle-led team had secured a 1-0 victory over Rwanda in their previous fixture but struggled to maintain momentum in Bloemfontein.
The September rankings mark a one-place drop from July, when Nigeria fell from 43rd in April to 44th. On the continental stage, the Super Eagles are now sixth, trailing Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Côte d’Ivoire overtook Nigeria to reach 44th globally, while Tunisia moved up three places to 49th. South Africa climbed to 55th following four points gained from their matches against Lesotho and Nigeria.
Lesotho, Nigeria’s next opponent in the qualifiers, now ranks 153rd, and Benin Republic has improved to 93rd.
Globally, Spain has returned to the top of the FIFA rankings after their UEFA EURO 2024 victory, displacing Argentina, who dropped to third.
France moved into second, England retained fourth, and Portugal entered the top five, overtaking Brazil. Germany fell three places to 12th following an unexpected loss to Slovakia, which itself jumped ten places to 42nd.
Morocco and Senegal remain Africa’s leading nations in the rankings, positioned 11th and 18th globally, respectively. Morocco’s rise reflects a strong winning run, securing early qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Super Eagles will have opportunities to improve their ranking when they face Lesotho and Benin Republic in October, a period that could determine their competitiveness in the World Cup qualifiers and their continental standing.
The next FIFA Men’s World Ranking is scheduled for release on October 23, providing a new benchmark for Nigeria’s football trajectory
