Morocco have retained their position as Africa’s top-ranked national team in the latest FIFA World Rankings, despite dropping one place to seventh globally.
The October 2026 rankings were released by FIFA on Wednesday following the conclusion of the latest international break, with several changes recorded among Africa’s leading football nations.
Morocco had climbed as high as sixth in the world following their impressive 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, a position that represented the highest-ever ranking achieved by an African national team.
The Atlas Lions spent nine days inside the global top five after moving above Brazil on September 25. However, their stay among the world’s top five came to an end after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Mali on October 4.
The results involving Brazil and Portugal also contributed to the changes at the top of the global rankings, with Portugal now occupying fifth position.
Despite dropping to seventh in the world, Morocco remain firmly at the top of the African rankings under coach Mohamed Ouahbi.
Algeria, meanwhile, have made significant progress and are closing the gap on the continent’s leading teams.
The Desert Foxes climbed one place to 28th in the world after a strong run of results during the international window. Algeria defeated Zambia 3-1, drew 2-2 with Burundi in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match and later beat Niger 2-1 in a friendly on Tuesday.
Their improved ranking has moved them closer to Egypt, who remain among Africa’s top three. Algeria are now just 11.09 points behind the Pharaohs.
Côte d’Ivoire have also moved into Africa’s top five despite suffering a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon.
The Elephants climbed two places to 29th in the world, while Cameroon moved up one position to 42nd.
Cameroon’s rise represents a positive development after the Indomitable Lions had previously been affected in the rankings by their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The latest ranking places Cameroon eighth in Africa, with Mali and South Africa immediately behind them.
Mali are ranked 47th globally, while South Africa occupy 48th. Both nations recorded one of the biggest improvements among Africa’s top 10 teams, moving up six places in the global rankings.
Further down the table, Angola also made progress, climbing four places to 83rd in the world.
Benin recorded a similar four-place rise to move up to 89th. The West African nation recently faced Argentina captain Lionel Messi, with Benin becoming the latest international opponent of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Not every African nation enjoyed an improved ranking during the latest update.
Tunisia dropped four places to 61st in the world, while Cape Verde also fell four positions to 68th.
Ghana were among the biggest fallers in Africa’s leading group, dropping five places to 70th in the world.
The Black Stars’ decline follows a difficult September international break, during which they suffered defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia in their opening matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
The results have seen Ghana fall to 14th among African nations, adding further pressure on the team ahead of the next round of qualifiers.
Senegal remain Africa’s second-ranked team and continue to occupy 18th position globally.
The Teranga Lions did not move in the latest update, maintaining their place among the world’s top 20 teams.
Burkina Faso also retained their previous global position, remaining 62nd in the world and 12th among African nations.
The latest FIFA rankings reflect the results recorded during the recent international window and provide an updated picture of the competitive landscape ahead of the next major international fixtures.
For Morocco, remaining at the top of the African rankings confirms their continued status as the continent’s leading side, despite their slight decline in the global standings.
Algeria’s rise to 28th also puts them in a stronger position as they attempt to break into Africa’s top three, while the progress made by Mali, South Africa and Cameroon highlights the increasingly competitive nature of international football on the continent.
For Ghana, however, the five-place drop to 70th will be a concern as the Black Stars prepare to return to competitive action.
The team will have the opportunity to respond when the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers resume, with Ghana needing improved results to strengthen their position in the qualifying campaign and halt their slide in the FIFA rankings.
