By AnchorNews Sports Desk

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have climbed four places in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, moving up to 41st globally and reclaiming their place among Africa’s top five football nations.

The latest ranking, released by FIFA on Friday, marks a strong comeback for the three-time African champions, who jumped from 45th to 41st — overtaking Ivory Coast, now 42nd in the world.

Nigeria’s rise comes after an impressive run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where they recorded a 2–1 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane and a commanding 4–0 win against Benin Republic in Uyo.

Those performances not only improved Nigeria’s ranking points but also secured their qualification for the continental playoffs ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The Super Eagles are now set to face Gabon — ranked 77th globally and 15th in Africa — for a spot in the final playoff round, where either Cameroon or DR Congo could await.

On the African chart, Morocco maintained its status as the continent’s highest-ranked team despite dropping one place to 12th globally. Senegal follows in 18th place, while Egypt (32nd) and Algeria (35th) hold the next positions, with Nigeria rounding out the top five. Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Mali, Cameroon, and South Africa complete Africa’s top 10.

Globally, Spain retained the number-one spot after back-to-back World Cup qualifying wins over Georgia and Bulgaria. Defending champions Argentina moved up to second place following friendly victories against Venezuela and Puerto Rico, while France slipped to third after a 3–0 win over Azerbaijan and a 2–2 draw with Iceland.

Nigeria’s steady climb in the global rankings signals renewed form and confidence as the Super Eagles continue their push for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.