FIFA released its latest monthly rankings on Thursday, with several African nations seeing significant changes. **Côte d’Ivoire** climbed three spots to reclaim the top position on the continent and re-enter the global **top 20**, now ranked **19th** worldwide. **Algeria**, Africa’s runner-up, follows at **28th**, while **Ghana** remains third on the continent at **33rd** globally.
**Cape Verde** slipped seven places to 39th worldwide but maintains fourth in Africa, while **Tunisia** completes the African top five at 40th. The next five African nations are: **Senegal (44th)**, **Congo (48th)**, **Guinea (50th)**, **Egypt (57th)**, and **Cameroon (59th)**.
On a global scale, **Belgium** continues to lead the rankings, followed by **Argentina** and **Spain**. The December edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking primarily reflected matches played for the **Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers**, which accounted for over two-thirds of the 137 matches considered. The remaining fixtures included **eight EURO 2016 play-off matches** and **37 friendlies**.
Notable statistics from this ranking update include:
* **Total matches considered:** 137
* **Most matches played:** DR Congo, Zambia, Angola, and Namibia (4 each)
* **Biggest point progression:** Hungary (+186 points)
* **Greatest rise in ranking positions:** Libya (+32 places)
* **Largest point drop:** Wales (-145 points)
* **Largest fall in positions:** Sudan (-21 places)
No new teams entered the global top 10, nor did any leave it this month. The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on **January 7, 2016**, providing further insight into the continental and global positioning of national teams as they continue their qualification campaigns for upcoming international tournaments.
