FIFA Ranking: Nigeria Breaks Into World’s Top 50

Taiwo Adelu

Taking a one step upward from December 2016 ranking, the Super Eagles of Nigeria begin the New Year with a leap into the Top 50 teams in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking released early on Thursday. 

Nigeria, who are on number 51 in the last ranking of 2016, are one of the two teams, FIFA says made significant entry into the Top 50 in the first ranking of 2017.

According to FIFA on its website “despite the overall stability of the January table, two new teams have broken into the Top 50. Saudi Arabia (48, up 6) and Nigeria (50, up 1) move up at the expense of Albania (51, down 2) and Burkina Faso (53, down 3).

Nigeria also gained one step upward in Africa ranking, moving from number 8 last December to number 7 in the latest ranking.

On the Africa continent, Senegalese Teranga Lions are the number one team and 33 in the world. They maintained their position from December, followed by the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire (34), the Pharaohs of Egypt (35),Carthage Eagles of Tunisia (36) and Algeria (39) in the Top 5 ranking in Africa.

Congo DR (49) are on number 6 in Africa, while Burkina Faso (53), Ghana (54) and Morocco (59) complete the Top 10 in Africa. Bafana Bafana of South Africa (60) are on number 11.

Meanwhile, with only 12 Grade A matches played since the final ranking of 2016, there are few big changes in the January edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.  Fifa.com reports that the top 34 positions remain unchanged with Argentina, Brazil and Germany still holding first, second and third place respectively.

With the biggest move by both points and rankings, Suriname (128, up 22) were January’s best performer. Despite their recent improvement, the CONCACAF team are still some distance from their best ever position (84), recorded back in 2008.

The small Southern African nation of Swaziland reached its best ever position in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking (99, up 1).

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 9 February 2017.