Super Eagles drop to 30th in FIFA ranking
By Tosin Omojola
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have dropped four places to 30th in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking released on Wednesday after a difficult international window.
The three-time African champions, who were ranked 26th in the previous edition, recorded one win, one defeat and one draw during the period.
Nigeria began with a 2-1 victory over Madagascar in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign before suffering a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in Bissau.
The defeat, against a side ranked significantly below Nigeria, cost the Super Eagles valuable ranking points and contributed to their four-place slide.
Eric Chelle’s side later secured a thrilling 3-3 draw against Russia in an international friendly at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday.
However, the draw was not enough to prevent Nigeria’s drop in the latest global ranking.
The Super Eagles also fell from fourth to sixth in Africa, with Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire occupying the five positions ahead of them. Nigeria remain ahead of DR Congo, Cameroon, Mali and South Africa in the continental top 10.
FIFA’s October 7 ranking is the latest edition, with the next update scheduled for November 18. The setback adds pressure on Chelle and his players as they continue preparations for the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
