The updated rankings, released on Thursday, mark the final FIFA Women’s Ranking update before the continental tournament scheduled to run from July 25 to August 16 in Morocco.
Nigeria will be chasing a record-extending 11th WAFCON title as they aim to reinforce their dominance on the continent.
Despite recent positive results in international friendlies, the Super Falcons were unable to climb higher in the global standings.
The team secured back-to-back wins over Senegal earlier this month, defeating the Lionesses of Teranga 2–1 on June 5 and following up with a convincing 3–0 victory three days later in Ikenne.
However, the results were not enough to move the Nigerian side ahead of Serbia, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic, who remain just above them in the global table.
Still, the Falcons continue to hold a strong position ahead of several nations including Vietnam, Slovenia, the Philippines, Chinese Taipei, and Jamaica.
On the African continent, Nigeria remain firmly ahead of their closest rivals. South Africa’s Banyana Banyana climbed one place to 57th globally after recovering from a heavy 5–0 defeat to Japan with a morale-boosting 1–0 win in a rematch.
Ghana dropped slightly to 60th, while hosts Morocco fell to 64th. Zambia also slipped to 65th despite a 3–0 win over Zimbabwe in their most recent fixture.
Nigeria’s WAFCON group-stage opponents show a significant ranking gap. Zambia remain the strongest of the group opponents, while Egypt sit at 99th in the world and Malawi occupy 158th position.
Analysts suggest the gap in rankings could play a psychological role, but warn that tournament football often produces unpredictable results.
A team official within the Super Falcons camp expressed cautious confidence, noting that maintaining Africa’s top position reflects consistency but insisting the focus remains on lifting the WAFCON trophy.
“We respect the rankings, but our priority is performance on the pitch. The goal is to win the tournament, not just to stay number one in Africa,” the team source said.
Globally, Spain continue to dominate Nigeria’s Super Falcons remain Africa’s highest-ranked women’s team in the latest FIFA Ranking, staying 36th globally as they prepare for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The women’s game, holding the number one spot ahead of the United States, Germany, England, and Japan. France climbed to sixth place, while Brazil, Sweden, Canada, and the Netherlands complete the top ten.
The FIFA Ranking also adds further context to the growing competitiveness of women’s football worldwide, with African teams steadily improving but still chasing the elite level dominated by European and North American sides.
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For the Super Falcons, the upcoming WAFCON presents both a title defense opportunity and a World Cup qualification pathway.
The tournament will serve as qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with the four semi-finalists earning automatic qualification and one additional African team advancing through intercontinental playoffs.
As preparations intensify, Nigeria will look to convert their continental ranking superiority into silverware, reaffirming their long-standing dominance in African women’s football.
