The Super Eagles of Nigeria have made a notable leap in the October FIFA World Ranking, moving up three spots to secure the 36th position globally.
According to the latest ranking published on Thursday by FIFA, the Nigerian men’s national football team accumulated 1503.29 points during the review period.
Their upward trajectory follows a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Libya in the first leg of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on October 11 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
This important win not only impacted their global standing but also improved their position on the African continent.
Nigeria now holds the fourth spot, trailing Morocco, Senegal, and Egypt, a jump from sixth place in September.
Globally, the October international football window was packed with action. A total of 32 qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026, 47 matches for the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, 79 Nations League encounters, and 17 international friendlies were played, making it a hectic period for national teams.
These matches prompted significant changes across the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking.
At the top of the global rankings, Argentina remains first, though their lead over France in second and Spain in third has narrowed.
England, Brazil, and Belgium retain their 4th, 5th, and 6th positions, respectively. Meanwhile, Portugal (7th, up 1) and Italy (9th, up 1) climbed within the top 10. The Netherlands (8th, down 1) and Colombia (10th, down 1) experienced slight drops, while Germany (11th, up 2) is close to reentering the top tier.
Beyond the Super Eagles, other African teams also made strides. Algeria, 37th, up 4, Peru, 38th, up 5,, and Greece, 42nd, up 6, achieved noteworthy improvements. Cameroon, 49th, up 4 , made a return to the top 50, while other African nations such as Equatorial Guinea, 88th, up 6, Zimbabwe, 117th, up 7, The Gambia, 128th, up 7, and Botswana, 140th, up 7, also progressed. Botswana’s national team, the Zebras, recorded the biggest points gain overall, adding 38.30 points to their tally.
