Key points
- Spain have replaced Argentina as the world’s top-ranked men’s national team after winning the FIFA World Cup 2026.
- Norway recorded the biggest rise, climbing 12 places to 19th following a historic quarter-final run.
- Morocco reached a record sixth place, while Mexico returned to the top 10.
- Tunisia suffered the biggest decline, dropping 12 places to 57th.
Main story
Spain have returned to the top of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking after defeating Argentina to win the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Luis de la Fuente’s side edged the defending champions 1-0 after extra time in the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium, securing Spain’s second FIFA World Cup title after their maiden triumph in South Africa in 2010.
The victory saw Spain replace Argentina at the summit of the latest FIFA rankings, with La Albiceleste dropping to second despite reaching a second consecutive World Cup final.
France and England retained third and fourth positions respectively after both nations exited the tournament at the semi-final stage.
Norway emerged as the biggest movers in the rankings, climbing 12 places to 19th after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
Among the tournament’s co-hosts, Mexico gained four places to re-enter the world’s top 10 for the first time since March 2022. The United States moved up one spot to 16th, while Canada remained 30th.
DR Congo also made significant progress, rising five places to 41st after recording the country’s first-ever FIFA World Cup victory on their way to the Round of 32.
Tournament debutants Cabo Verde climbed three places to 64th after reaching the Round of 32 and pushing Argentina to extra time before losing 3-2. Curaçao, another first-time World Cup participant, remained 82nd.
Morocco achieved a new national milestone by climbing to sixth after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals, making them the highest-ranked African nation. Tunisia, however, recorded the steepest fall in the rankings, dropping 12 places to 57th.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup was the first to feature 48 teams and concluded after a record 104 matches, with four nations making their tournament debut.
The issues
The updated rankings reflect the impact of the expanded 48-team World Cup, with several emerging football nations making significant gains following strong performances on the global stage.
What’s being said
“Spain have traded places with Argentina atop the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking after dethroning La Albiceleste in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.” — FIFA
What’s next
The revised rankings will shape seedings and preparations for upcoming FIFA international windows, continental competitions and qualification tournaments.
Bottom line
Spain’s World Cup victory has restored them to the summit of world football, while countries such as Norway, Morocco and DR Congo used impressive tournament performances to make significant gains in the latest FIFA rankings.
