Nigeria’s Super Falcons have dropped seven places to 43rd in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings released on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
The 10-time African champions, who were ranked 36th in the previous edition published in June, remain Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national team despite their decline in the global standings.
South Africa are second in Africa and 59th globally, followed by Cameroon in 62nd, Morocco in 64th and Ghana in 65th. Zambia occupy 70th position in the world rankings.
Nigeria’s drop follows a difficult international period, particularly their campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, where they failed to reach the semi-finals.
The Super Falcons’ tournament ended in disappointment after they suffered defeats to Malawi and Cameroon. Nigeria subsequently lost 2-1 to South Africa in the playoffs for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Despite those setbacks, Nigeria recorded victories over Comoros in the qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games.
The latest ranking update saw Spain retain the world’s top position, ahead of the United States, Germany, England and Japan.
Malawi recorded the biggest rise in the rankings, climbing 49 places to 104th following their run to the WAFCON final. Cameroon, meanwhile, moved up nine places to 62nd after winning the continental title.
The Super Falcons suffered the biggest loss in ranking points in the latest update, dropping 83.54 points, but maintained their position as Africa’s leading women’s team.
FIFA has scheduled the next Women’s World Ranking update for December 7, 2026.
