Morocco have climbed into the world’s top 10 of the FIFA men’s rankings for the first time, while newly crowned African champions Senegal also made a significant leap following the conclusion of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The updated rankings, released on Monday, reflect the impact of the tournament, which ended with Senegal’s narrow final defeat of Morocco and has continued to dominate debate across the continent.
Morocco remain Africa’s highest-ranked nation and now sit eighth in the world, an unprecedented position for the Atlas Lions.
Their rise of three places sees them overtake traditional European heavyweights including Belgium, Germany and Croatia, underlining their growing consistency at the highest level of international football.
The North African side are now positioned just behind the Netherlands, Portugal and Brazil, while England, France, Argentina and Spain continue to occupy the upper reaches of the global standings.
Senegal’s success at AFCON 2025 has also been rewarded.
The Lions of Teranga moved up seven places to 12th in the world rankings, strengthening their position as Africa’s second-ranked team.
Their climb reflects a sustained run of strong performances and confirms their status as one of the continent’s dominant forces.
Nigeria recorded one of the most notable jumps among African nations, rising 12 places to 26th globally, while Algeria moved up six spots to 28th.
🇲🇦 Morocco rise to all-time high of eighth
🇸🇳 Senegal break new ground after AFCON triumph, climbing to 12thThe January 2026 edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking is here:
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 19, 2026
Despite the improvement, the Algerian ranking highlights a contrast for the Fennecs, who continue to trail several continental rivals despite their upward movement.
Egypt advanced four places to 31st, while Ivory Coast climbed to 37th after gaining five positions.
Cameroon also posted a sharp rise, moving up 12 places to 45th, whereas Tunisia dropped six spots to 47th.
Further down the African rankings, DR Congo improved to 48th globally, Mali slipped slightly to 54th, and Ghana remained unchanged at 72nd.
Gabon suffered one of the steepest falls, dropping eight places to 86th.
The latest standings underline the shifting balance of power within African football following AFCON 2025, with tournament performances continuing to play a decisive role in shaping the global hierarchy.
