Zurich: The recently concluded CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has made a significant impact on the January 2026 edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking, with both finalists, perhaps unsurprisingly, making significant strides.
Despite suffering heartbreak in the final, hosts Morocco (8th, up 3) can take comfort from returning to the top 10 for the first time since April 1998, reaching their best-ever position. AFCON winners Senegal (12th, up 7), have been rewarded for reclaiming the continental crown by scaling unprecedented heights of their own, but it is as you were at the top, with Spain (1st), FIFA world champions Argentina (2nd), and France (3rd) continuing to set the pace.
Morocco’s ascent has come at a cost for Croatia (11th, down 1), who have dropped out of the top 10, as well as for Belgium (9th, down 1) and Germany (10th, down 1). AFCON bronze medallists Nigeria (now 26th) and quarter-finalists Cameroon (now 45th) each shot up an unparalleled 12 places. Additional ranking success stories served up by the African showpiece include notable rises for Algeria (28th, up 6), semi-finalists Egypt (31st, up 4), dethroned holders Côte d’Ivoire (37th, up 5) and Congo DR (48th, up 8).
Among the other talking points, Kosovo (79th, up 1) have yet again climbed into uncharted territory, inching up on this occasion thanks to Gabon falling eight places to 86th, whereas Costa Rica (51st, down 2) and Uzbekistan (52nd, also down 2) have both dropped out of the top 50.
The AFCON has also had an impact on the size of the respective confederations’ contingents in and around the upper echelons, with CAF now boasting nine nations in the top 50 – two more than at the end of 2025 – and the AFC and Concacaf having each lost one to fall to four apiece. Home to 26 of the leading 50 teams in the global pecking order, UEFA continues to dominate, while CONMEBOL once again has seven representatives inside the top 50 with OFC sides remaining absent.
The full ranking can be found on Inside FIFA.
The next edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking will be published on April 1, 2026.
