World champions Spain return to the top of the FIFA men’s world rankings
July 21 – Spain have returned to the top of the FIFA men’s world rankings after bidding for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, replacing Argentina who lost in the final following a tournament that reshaped the international landscape.
Luis de la Fuente’s side regained the top spot they briefly held earlier this year after beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in New Jersey, a result that further exposed the gap between the two finalists.
Although the goal line remained tight until the end, Spain completely prevailed, retrieving more than 20 tries before Argentina finally managed to win their first game in the 117th minute. The Albiceleste failed to record a single attempt on target.
That was reflected in the latest FIFA rankings, where Spain opened up a 25-point lead over Argentina despite the South Americans reaching their second consecutive World Cup final.
After the two top teams, the World Cup has caused tension and dropped in the ratings. Brazil rose to fifth, Morocco to sixth and Belgium to eighth, while Portugal and the Netherlands dropped to seventh and ninth respectively after difficult campaigns in North America.
Tournament hosts Mexico return to the Top 10 for the first time since March 2022 after reaching the round of 16 and pushing England home, replacing Germany, who came off the back of another disappointing World Cup, where they lost in the round of 32 to Paraguay.
The biggest winners, however, are Norway.
Ståle Solbakken’s side jumped 12 places to 19th after reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup, their best FIFA ranking in almost 15 years. Erling Haaland finished the tournament with seven goals as Norway enjoyed their deepest World Cup run for generations before eventually going past England after extra time in a tie that had been tied for eighth.
Switzerland also enjoyed the tournament, climbing to 15th place after reaching the quarterfinals, while Egypt, Paraguay, DR Congo, South Africa and Ghana all did the same in the rankings after their impressive performances at the world level.
At the other end of the scale, Panama lost the most points after an early exit, while Tunisia dropped 12 places, the biggest drop in the rankings. Uzbekistan also slipped 10 places after failing to build on recent progress.
The ranking underlines how much impact it has had on the expanded 48-team World Cup. Of the 105 international matches played in the latest ranking period, 104 came during the tournament, meaning that playing in North America likely determined FIFA’s latest standings.
The move also highlights the growth of international football competition. Nine South American countries are now in the world’s top 50, and UEFA continues to dominate with 25 representatives.
Contact the author of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]
