Nigeria’s Super Eagles have dropped to 44th position in the final FIFA World Rankings for 2024, marking a decline from their 28th position at the start of the year.
The national team’s slump follows a mixed year of performances, including 15 matches with nine victories, four draws, and five losses, according to FIFA’s latest rankings released on Thursday.
“The Super Eagles’ 44th-place finish mirrors their position in December 2018, making it their joint-worst year-end ranking in recent memory,” FIFA stated in its report.
The team’s current ranking represents a notable descent from previous years, having finished 42nd in 2023, 35th in 2022, 36th in 2021, 35th in 2020, and 31st in 2019.
Nigeria’s performance in World Cup qualifiers has been particularly concerning, with the team currently positioned fifth in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification group, jeopardizing their chances of reaching the tournament to be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
On the global stage, Argentina maintained their dominance at the top of the rankings for the second consecutive year. France, Spain, England, and Brazil complete the top five positions, while Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Italy round out the top ten.
In African rankings, Morocco continues to lead the continent, holding the 13th position globally. Senegal follows at 17th place, with Algeria at 33rd position. Nigeria, which ranked fourth in Africa earlier this year, has now dropped to fifth position on the continent.
The rankings also highlighted significant movements from other nations, with Angola making the most substantial progress, climbing 32 places to reach 85th position.
Hong Kong, China, achieved the biggest move by points, gaining 4.18 points, while Vietnam advanced two places to 114th position.
