What is the latest FIFA World Ranking? Which countries are considered among the world's 50 best football nations this month?

The much-criticized FIFA World Ranking developed a new criteria in the aftermath of the 2018 World Cup. In the hopes of presenting a more logic chart, World Football's governing body explained in their August 2018 FIFA Ranking press release:

"The formula, which was approved by the FIFA Council in June after a lengthy period of testing, relies on adding/subtracting points won or lost for a game to/from the previous points total rather than averaging game points over a given time period as in the previous version of the ranking.

"The changes, of which there are several, include the fact that inactive teams now preserve their points totals, with no devaluation of older games. Points are dropped, however, from losing or drawing against weaker opposition, with the only exception to this rule being matches in knockout rounds of major competitions such as the FIFA World Cup™."

Note: this article is updated on a monthly basis since the release of the new formula. Please scroll to the bottom to view the current Top 50 FIFA World Ranking.

April 2019 FIFA World Ranking

While the top five remains the same for the most part, there has been a change in position for England. After an impressive run in March that saw them score five goals in their opening two Euro 2020 qualifers, the Three Lions have moved up a spot, climbing into fourth. This means Croatia now resides in fifth while the first, second, and third spot still goes to Belgium, France, and Brazil.

The only other change in the top 10 saw Uruaguay move up a spot into sixth, bumping Portugal into seventh. Argentina remains in 11th while Germany has moved up three spots and is now the 13th ranked nation in the world.

Where is USA in the list and who is the biggest climber?

USMNT moved up a spot into 24th but still trail 18th-placed Mexico in the CONCACAF standings. As for the biggest climber, that honor goes to Istrael who advanced from 92nd to 84th.

February 2019 FIFA World Ranking

No changes in the world's Top 20 due to lack of international matches played since the start of the year. Qatar, however, came out as the biggest winners by jumping 38 places to occupy the 55th spot. The surprise 2019 AFC Asian Cup champions have gone levels ahead of their average 82nd position since the creation of the chart. Their Asian counterparts, Japan, also made the most of their Asian Cup runners-up status by going 23 places up, hence breaking into the world's Top 30.

Elsewhere Panama, who lost 3-0 to the USMNT in January, slipped five places onto 76th but the U.S. (25th) and Mexico (17th) keep their title as second and first respectively in the CONCACAF zone. In Africa, it's bad news all over as continental leaders Senegal (24th), Tunisia (28th), Morocco (43rd), Nigeria (46th), Congo (51st), Ghana (52nd), and all the other countries in CAF's 16 best ranked nations have all gone one, two or three places down in the February 2019 FIFA World Ranking. 


November 2018 FIFA World Ranking

It's an unchanged Top 10 in the November 2018 FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking but Portugal, now sixth, have traded their seventh spot with CONMEBOL's Uruguay. 

There's good news for the Messi-less Argentines who leapfrogged Colombia into 11th and reduced the gap over Denmark to seven points only. Elsewhere, the Senegalese (23rd) are the highest-ranked African nation. The United States complete the list of the 25 best football nations according to the chart.

Tunisia, whose performance at the FIFA World Cup was abysmal, recorded the biggest demotion by point (22). However, no country did worse than Benin and Russia in November 2018. Both dropped seven places. 

The FIFA World Ranking's Top 50 can be viewed at the bottom of this article.


October 2018 FIFA World Ranking

France's dominance atop the world ranking did not last for too long. World Cup 2018 bronze medalist Belgium have dethroned Les Bleus, according to FIFA's criteria. 

In the UEFA Nations League, both France and Belgium are doing well. With a game in hand, the Red Devils are poised to open a three-point lead over Switzerland (6) and Iceland (0) in League A's Group 2. In Group 1, the World Cup champions kept the Netherlands and Germany in check on Matchday 2 and 3 with 2-1 wins. French and Belgian football is enjoying an era of young talents and solid results.

Meanwhile, Neymar's Brazil (3rd), Luka Modric's Croatia (4th), Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal (7th), Switzerland, Spain, and Denmark have not moved places in the October 2018 edition of the FIFA Ranking's top 10. 

Where are Mexico and USA in CONCACAF and the world?

It's minus one for both. El Tri is now 16th in the world while the USMNT has fallen into the 23rd position. Costa Rica (37th), Jamaica (53rd), and Honduras (62nd) did not record any move. They wrap up CONCACAF's list of the five best-placed nations. 

Changes in the CONMEBOL zone

Whereas Argentina (12th) keep further dropping out of the Top 10, Colombia are diligently making their way into it. James Rodriguez's side, third in South America, has jumped three places and now occupies the 11th position on the FIFA Men's Ranking.

Where are African nations in the FIFA Men's Ranking?

There's a little bit of good news for Nigeria who have gone four places up. However, they remain only 44th on the chart while the highest-ranked African nation is Tunisia (22nd) who are still outside the Top 20. Senegal maintain their second spot in the CAF zone which translates into 25th in the world. Congo DR (46th) and Morocco (47th) complete CAF's Top 5.

When is the release of the next FIFA Men's Ranking?

The next edition of the FIFA Men's ranking is scheduled for November 29, 2018. AFC's Top 4 -- made of World Cup 2018 participants Iran (30th), Australia (42nd), Japan (50th), and Korea Republic (53rd) -- will be hoping to continue their ascension in the standings come next month. 


September 2018 FIFA World Ranking

For the first time in history, FIFA has two teams sharing the number one spot in their world ranking!

What does the Top 10 look like in September 2018?

Belgium has moved up one place to join France at the number one spot, becoming the joint-highest ranked nation in the world in the month of September. There were little changes elsewhere, with England retaining the sixth spot. Denmark has been overtaken by Spain, with the Scandinavian side moving into 10th. Germany has moved from 15th to 12th to edge closer to a top-10 return.

How are Mexico and USA doing in September 2018?

Mexico continues to lead the CONCACAF table, moving up one spot to 15th in the world. USA, on the other hand, has not moved at all and remains in the 22nd position.


August 2018 FIFA World Ranking

After conquering the world in Russia, Les Bleus have also conquered the FIFA World Ranking for the first time since 2002! 

Who is in and out of the Top 10 in August 2018?

With the new system, reigning world champions France have moved from 6th to 1st on the table. World Cup 2018 runners-up Croatia and fourth-placed England have, along with Uruguay and Denmark, broken into the Top 10. Meanwhile, Last 16 victims Argentina have joined fellow South American side Chile out of the Top 10. Germany and Poland, who both surprisingly crashed out of Russia 2018 in the group stages, also follow the Albiceleste and La Roja out of August's FIFA World Ranking Top 10.

Where are Mexico and USA ranked in August 2018?

The two CONCACAF heavyweights head the ranking in the CONCACAF zone. El Tri, who yet again suffered a Round of 16 World Cup elimination, are 16th in the world but 1st in their region. The USMNT, meanwhile, must content themselves with the 22nd position in the world after missing out on this year's biggest sports tournament.

What is the current FIFA World Ranking Top 50?

RankLandPunten+/-Pos.
0Eritrea856
 
1Argentina1855
 
2France1845
 
3England1800
 
4Belgium1798
 
5Brazil1784
 
6Netherlands1745
 
7Portugal1745
 
8Spain1733
 
9Italy1719
 
10Croatia1718
 
11Uruguay1666
 
12Morocco1663
 
13USA1662
 
14Colombia1655
 
15Mexico1653
 
16Germany1631
 
17Senegal1621
 
18Japan1614
 
19Switzerland1613
 
20Iran1608
 
21Denmark1601
 
22Korea Republic1566
 
23Australia1555
 
24Ukraine1553
 
25Austria1546
 
26Sweden1531
 
27Hungary1525
 
28Nigeria1522
 
29Wales1522
 
30Poland1520
 
31Ecuador1519
 
32Serbia1517
 
33Peru1513
 
34Scotland1507
 
35Turkey1505
 
36Egypt1500
 
37Qatar1499
 
38Russia1499
 
39Côte d'Ivoire1495
 
40Czech Republic1494
 
41Tunisia1491
 
42Chile1490
 
43Algeria1480
 
44Panama1476
 
45Romania1473
 
46Norway1472
 
47Mali1470
 
48Slovakia1466
 
49Greece1454
 
50Canada1454
 
51Cameroon1453
 
52Venezuela1447
 
53Saudi Arabia1441
 
54Costa Rica1438
 
55Slovenia1431
 
56Paraguay1431
 
57Jamaica1422
 
58South Africa1410
 
59Iraq1409
 
60Finland1401
 
61Burkina Faso1400
 
62Ireland Republic1400
 
63Congo DR1388
 
64Albania1383
 
65Cape Verde Islands1377
 
66Uzbekistan1377
 
67Ghana1363
 
68North Macedonia1362
 
69United Arab Emirates1356
 
70Jordan1344
 
71Bosnia and Herzegovina1343
 
72Montenegro1343
 
73Iceland1343
 
74Northern Ireland1333
 
75Israel1323
 
76Guinea1320
 
77Georgia1312
 
78Honduras1311
 
79Equatorial Guinea1311
 
80Oman1308
 
81El Salvador1306
 
82Bahrain1297
 
83Bulgaria1290
 
84Gabon1290
 
85Luxembourg1285
 
86Bolivia1285
 
87Zambia1276
 
88China1274
 
89Syria1266
 
90Haiti1263
 
91Curaçao1262
 
92Uganda1247
 
93Angola1238
 
94Armenia1237
 
95Belarus1233
 
96Trinidad and Tobago1228
 
97Palestine1227
 
98Benin1225
 
99Tajikistan1219
 
100Kazakhstan1215
 
101Thailand1207
 
102Kosovo1203
 
103New Zealand1197
 
104Kyrgyzstan1197
 
105Vietnam1195
 
106Mauritania1194
 
107Namibia1192
 
108Guatemala1188
 
109Madagascar1188
 
110Mozambique1184
 
111Kenya1182
 
112Congo1180
 
113Azerbaijan1174
 
114Korea DPR1168
 
115Lebanon1168
 
116Togo1166
 
117India1165
 
118Guinea-Bissau1164
 
119Tanzania1161
 
120Libya1160
 
121Comoros1156
 
122Malawi1149
 
123Estonia1149
 
124Zimbabwe1145
 
125Cyprus1143
 
126Sierra Leone1137
 
127Sudan1129
 
128Niger1128
 
129Central African Republic1121
 
130Gambia1115
 
131Solomon Islands1114
 
132Malaysia1110
 
133Rwanda1107
 
134Nicaragua1104
 
135Faroe Islands1102
 
136Latvia1098
 
137Kuwait1094
 
138Lithuania1087
 
139Philippines1086
 
140Burundi1086
 
141Turkmenistan1078
 
142Antigua and Barbuda1073
 
142Indonesia1073
 
144Suriname1072
 
145Ethiopia1069
 
146Botswana1065
 
147St. Kitts and Nevis1057
 
148Lesotho1047
 
149Eswatini1046
 
150Dominican Republic1041
 
151Yemen1028
 
152Liberia1024
 
153Chinese Taipei1024
 
154Hong Kong1023
 
155Moldova1023
 
156Singapore1021
 
157Guyana1018
 
158Afghanistan1018
 
159New Caledonia1009
 
160Puerto Rico1007
 
161Maldives1003
 
162Myanmar1000
 
163Tahiti999
 
164Andorra998
 
165Papua New Guinea991
 
166South Sudan989
 
167St. Lucia989
 
168Fiji981
 
169Cuba981
 
170Vanuatu980
 
171Bermuda972
 
172Malta967
 
173Saint Vincent and the Grenadines953
 
174Grenada951
 
175Nepal948
 
176Montserrat946
 
177Mauritius945
 
178Barbados944
 
179Cambodia931
 
180Dominica922
 
181Chad920
 
182Belize919
 
183Bangladesh917
 
184Bhutan913
 
185Cook Islands897
 
186Samoa897
 
187Macau897
 
188American Samoa891
 
189Laos890
 
190Mongolia889
 
191Sao Tome e Principe889
 
192Djibouti883
 
193Aruba879
 
194Brunei Darussalam871
 
195Pakistan857
 
196Tonga856
 
197Cayman Islands851
 
198Somalia846
 
199Seychelles846
 
200Timor-Leste843
 
201Gibraltar841
 
202Bahamas836
 
203Liechtenstein833
 
204Sri Lanka822
 
205Guam822
 
206Turks and Caicos Islands819
 
207British Virgin Islands808
 
208U.S. Virgin Islands797
 
209Anguilla786
 
210San Marino742