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World Cup 2026: Morocco remain Africa’s highest-ranked nation as Spain move to world No. 1
Spain have climbed to the top of the FIFA world rankings following their 2026 World Cup triumph, while Morocco strengthened their position as Africa’s highest-ranked nation and Egypt enjoyed one of the biggest gains among Arab teams.
The latest rankings, released after the conclusion of the World Cup, reflect the impact of the tournament, with Spain replacing Argentina at the summit after defeating the defending champions 1-0 in the final.
France remained third despite finishing fourth at the World Cup, while England climbed to fourth after securing a third-place finish. Brazil slipped one place to fifth following their last-16 exit.
Morocco retained sixth place in the world rankings, extending their status as both Africa’s and the Arab world’s highest-ranked team.
The Atlas Lions’ run to the World Cup quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by France, helped them climb one place and achieve the highest FIFA ranking ever recorded by an African or Arab nation.
The latest ranking further cements Morocco’s position as the continent’s leading football nation following a series of impressive performances on the global stage.
Egypt recorded the most significant rise among Arab nations, climbing five places to 24th in the world.
The Pharaohs’ progress to the last 16 of the World Cup contributed to their improved standing, despite their narrow 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the knockout stage.
The new ranking places Egypt second among Arab nations and third in Africa, behind Morocco and Senegal.
Elsewhere, Algeria slipped one place to 29th in the world but remained among Africa’s top five nations.
Saudi Arabia moved up three places to 58th, while Tunisia suffered the biggest decline among Arab teams, dropping 12 places to 57th following a disappointing campaign.
Qatar also fell three places to 59th, Iraq slipped to 63rd, and Jordan dropped 10 places to 73rd after their World Cup campaign.
Arab teams in the latest FIFA rankings
| Arab Rank | Nation | FIFA World Ranking |
| 1 | Morocco | 6th |
| 2 | Egypt | 24th |
| 3 | Algeria | 29th |
| 4 | Tunisia | 57th |
| 5 | Saudi Arabia | 58th |
| 6 | Qatar | 59th |
| 7 | Iraq | 63rd |
| 8 | Jordan | 73rd |
Spain’s triumph reshapes global standings
Spain’s World Cup success has ended Argentina’s reign at the top of the FIFA rankings, with La Roja returning to world No. 1 for the first time in years after lifting their second World Cup title.
For African football, the latest rankings underline the continent’s growing competitiveness, with Morocco continuing to set new benchmarks and Egypt’s resurgence offering further encouragement ahead of the next international cycle.
