In a remarkable ascend, the Super Eagles of Nigeria have climbed three spots to secure the 36th position in the October FIFA rankings.
According to the latest update from the world football governing body, Nigeria accumulated 1503.29 points during this period. The senior men’s national team secured a narrow victory against Libya in the first leg of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, winning 1-0 on October 11 in Uyo. This improvement has also positively impacted their continental standing, moving them from sixth to fourth place, trailing only Morocco, Senegal, and Egypt.
On the global stage, the recent international window featured 32 qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026, 47 for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025, 79 Nations League matches, and 17 friendlies, making October a particularly active month in football and leading to shifts in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking.
Argentina remains at the top, but their lead over second-placed France and third-placed Spain has narrowed. England (4th), Brazil (5th), and Belgium (6th) retained their positions. Portugal (7th, up 1) and Italy (9th, up 1) are the only teams in the top 10 to rise, while the Netherlands (8th, down 1) and Colombia (10th, down 1) dropped. Germany (11th, up 2) is close behind.
Noteworthy movements elsewhere include Algeria (37th, up 4), Peru (38th, up 5), and Greece (42nd, up 6), while Cameroon (49th, up 4) has re-entered the top 50. Other African teams making strides include Equatorial Guinea (88th, up 6) and Zimbabwe (117th, up 7), with The Gambia (128th, up 7) and Botswana (140th, up 7) also showing significant progress. Botswana achieved the largest overall jump, gaining 38.30 points. (NAN)
