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Nigeria’s Super Eagles climb 12 spots to 26th in FIFA rankings after AFCON performance

Nigeria is now the third-best team in Africa, behind AFCON finalists Senegal, ranked 12th globally, and Morocco, ranked 8th globally.

• January 19, 2026
Super Eagles Squad
Super Eagles (Credit: NFF)

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have surged to 26th position in the latest FIFA World Ranking released on Monday, recording a remarkable 12-place jump.

The Eagles climbed from 38th following an impressive outing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, where they finished third overall.

Nigeria is now the third-best team in Africa, behind AFCON finalists Senegal, ranked 12th globally, and Morocco, ranked 8th globally.

Algeria and Egypt, both eliminated by Nigeria at the tournament, occupy fourth and fifth places, respectively, in the African ranking.

The Eagles won six of their seven matches at AFCON, losing only to hosts Morocco on penalties in the semi-finals.

They sealed third place with a 4-2 victory over Egypt in the playoff match on Saturday.

Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia make up the world’s top 10 teams.

(NAN)

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