Spain has extended its lead at the top of the latest Fifa men’s world rankings following a series of strong performances since the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup. The reigning champions, coached by Luis de la Fuente, have now set a new record for an unbeaten streak in men’s international football, reaching 42 matches after winning all four of their recent fixtures, including a 1-0 extra-time victory in the World Cup final.
The latest rankings, reflecting results from 338 international matches played since July 19, see Spain maintaining their position ahead of second-placed Argentina. France and England remain third and fourth, respectively. Portugal, under new management by Jorge Jesus, has climbed two places to fifth, displacing Brazil and Morocco, who now rank sixth and seventh. Portugal’s ascent is attributed to their clean sweep of four victories in the recent Uefa Nations League, including notable away wins against Norway and Denmark.
Switzerland also made significant progress, rising two positions to 12th after a series of four wins, three of which ended with identical 3-0 scorelines. Key players Zeki Amdouni and Dan Ndoye have been instrumental in the Swiss team’s success under coach Murat Yakin. This jump allowed Switzerland to overtake traditional powerhouses Germany and Croatia, which slipped to 13th and 14th places respectively.
Several other nations improved their standings, including Australia (26th, up two places), Canada (27th, up three), Côte d’Ivoire (29th, up two), and Sweden (34th, up three). Greece achieved a notable rise of five places to 41st, following a Nations League campaign in which they earned two wins and two draws, highlighted by a 1-0 away victory over Germany and a home draw against the Netherlands.
African nations demonstrated marked progress in the rankings with Mali and South Africa climbing six spots apiece to 47th and 48th. Mali’s successes were led by Dorgeles Nene and teenage forward Ange Martial Tia in victories over Cabo Verde and Liberia, while South Africa secured wins against Guinea, Eritrea, and Egypt, with goalkeeper Sipho Chaine playing a key role.
The continent now boasts 10 nations ranked within the top 50. Other African teams moving up include Mozambique (98th), The Gambia (109th), Rwanda (119th), Guinea-Bissau (124th), and Botswana (141st), reflecting growing competitiveness across the region.
Additional countries posting ranking improvements include Slovenia (52nd, up four), Bosnia and Herzegovina (57th, up four), Northern Ireland (64th, up six), Angola (83rd, up four), Haiti (84th, up four), Estonia (122nd, up five), Dominican Republic (135th, up nine), Guyana (142nd, up eight), and Barbados (174th, up five).
These shifts underscore the impact of recent fixtures, including Uefa and CONCACAF Nations League matches as well as qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, contributing to evolving dynamics in the global football landscape.