FIFA Rankings: Morocco retain top spot in Africa
Cairo, Egypt (PANA) - Morocco retained their position as the top-ranked African nation in FIFA's latest rankings released on Thursday.
Despite their continued dominance on the continent, the Atlas Lions slipped one spot in the global rankings, moving from 13th to 14th due to Uruguay's surge after their impressive performances.
The Atlas Lions displayed remarkable form during the November international break in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, securing emphatic wins over Gabon (5-1) and Lesotho (7-0).
According to the CAF media channel on Saturday, these victories added 6.61 points to their tally, yet it wasn’t enough to maintain their position on the global stage.
Uruguay’s climb, fueled by gaining over 15 points, saw them leapfrog Morocco into 11th place.
Algeria capitalized on Nigeria's struggles to rise to 4th place in Africa, overtaking Nigeria, which endured a dismal international break.
The Super Eagles drew 1-1 with Benin and suffered a 2-1 defeat against Rwanda, resulting in a significant loss of 21.06 points.
This drop saw Nigeria plummet from 36th to 44th in the global rankings, sliding into 5th place in Africa.
Meanwhile, Algeria avoided a similar fate by securing a 5-1 win against Liberia and a goalless draw with Equatorial Guinea, maintaining their 36th spot globally despite a slight points reduction.
The Fennecs have now solidified their place among Africa’s elites.
Meanwhile, Niger emerged as the standout performer in this month’s rankings.
Following their impressive wins against Sudan (4-0) and Ghana (2-1) in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the Mena gained 31.23 points and climbed nine places to 122nd globally and 34th in Africa.
This marks the highest progression in both points and rankings among African nations.
Senegal moved up three places to 17th in the world, consolidating its position as the second-best team in Africa.
Key victories over Burkina Faso (1-0) and Burundi (2-0), spearheaded by emerging talent Habib Diarra, contributed to this rise.
The Lions of Teranga are now edging closer to their best-ever FIFA ranking.
Comoros also continued its remarkable rise, moving up five places to 103rd globally and 23rd in Africa.
The team's qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has underscored their growing stature on the international stage.
Below is Africa's Top 20 FIFA Rankings (Global ranking is in brackets)
1- Morocco (14th)
2- Senegal (17th)
3- Egypt (33rd)
4- Algeria (37th)
5- Nigeria (44th)
6- Cote d'Ivoire (46th)
7- Cameroon (49th)
9- Mali (51st)
10- Tunisia (52nd)
11- South Africa (57th)
12- DR Congo (61st)
13- Burkina Faso (66th)
14- Cape Verde (72nd)
15- Ghana (77th)
16- Gabon (84th)
17- Angola (85th)
18- Zambia (87th)
19- Uganda (88th)
20- Equatorial Guinea (93rd).
-0- PANA VAO/RA 30Nov2024
