Super Falcons Drop Seven Places in FIFA Rankings, Retain Top Spot in Africa

Nigeria’s Super Falcons have slipped seven places in the latest FIFA women’s world rankings but have retained their position as Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national team.

According to a report by Daily Post on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the 10-time African champions have dropped from 36th to 43rd in the global standings following a series of disappointing results in recent international competitions.

Despite their decline in the world rankings, Nigeria remain at the top of the African table, ahead of South Africa, Morocco, Ghana and Zambia, who occupy the continent’s second, third, fourth and fifth positions, respectively.

The latest setback follows a disappointing campaign at the 2026 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco, where the Super Falcons failed to advance beyond the quarter-final stage.

Nigeria suffered defeats against Malawi and Cameroon during the tournament, results that affected their overall performance and contributed to their decline in the latest rankings.

The team also endured disappointment in the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup playoffs, losing 2-1 to South Africa in another difficult encounter against their continental rivals.

However, the Super Falcons have enjoyed some positive results in their quest to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games. Nigeria recorded two victories over Comoros in the qualifying campaign, offering encouragement after their recent setbacks.

Those wins provided a bright spot during a challenging period for the national team, although they were insufficient to prevent Nigeria from falling seven places in the global rankings.

Nevertheless, the Super Falcons’ position at the top of the African standings highlights their continued status among the continent’s leading women’s football teams.

South Africa remain their closest challengers in Africa, while Morocco, Ghana and Zambia complete the continent’s top five in the latest classification.

At the global level, Spain continue to occupy first place, followed by the United States in second position. Germany, England and Japan complete the top five, retaining their respective places in the latest update.

There was no movement among the five highest-ranked teams worldwide, despite changes elsewhere in the standings.

The next FIFA women’s world rankings are scheduled for release on Monday, December 7, 2026, when the Super Falcons will have another opportunity to improve their position following their upcoming international fixtures.

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