Heartbreak for Ghana and South Africa as Eguavoen’s Nigeria Super Eagles soar three places in latest FIFA Ranking

***Augustine Eguavoen’s time as Super Eagles coach has seen improvement for Nigeria in the FIFA Ranking ahead of Ghana and South Africa.

Nigeria’s national team the Super Eagles have climbed three places in the latest FIFA World Rankings released on Thursday, moving from 39th to 36th globally under the stewardship of interim manager Augustine Eguavoen.

The Super Eagles’ rise marks a significant turnaround from their previous downward trajectory, which had seen them slip to 39th position in the last rankings.

Eguavoen’s appointment has brought stability and improved results, helping Nigeria maintain its position among Africa’s top five nations.

In a notable shift in the African football hierarchy, traditional powerhouses Ghana and South Africa have dropped down further on the ranking and remain out of the continent’s top 10, while several emerging nations have made substantial gains.

Algeria has shown impressive progress, climbing four spots to 37th, while Cameroon returned to the global top 50, moving up four places to 49th position.

The rankings have revealed a changing trend in African football, with several smaller nations making significant strides. Equatorial Guinea (88th, up 6), Zimbabwe (117th, up 7), and The Gambia (128th, up 7) have all shown notable improvement.

But it was Botswana that made the most substantial progress in terms of points gained, climbing seven spots to 140th with an impressive 38.30-point increase.

Perhaps the most dramatic developments came from Comoros and Sudan, who both surged 10 places to 108th and 110th respectively.

These improvements followed their stunning displays against giants Tunisia and Ghana in the recent Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualifiers.

The rankings update, which considered 175 international matches played in October, including 47 AFCONQ2025, reflects a period of significant change in African football.

While Nigeria continues to strengthen its position, the rise of smaller nations and the struggles of traditional powers suggest an increasingly competitive continental landscape.

Globally, world champions Argentina maintain their leadership, though their advantage over France (2nd) and Spain (3rd) has narrowed.

The rankings also show Portugal (7th) and Italy (9th) as the only upward movers within the top 10 that continue to feature Brazil in fifth position.

This latest FIFA ranking period has demonstrated both Nigeria’s resurgence under Eguavoen’s guidance and the evolving nature of African football, where established hierarchies are being challenged by emerging forces within the continent.