Nigeria’s Super Falcons have dropped seven places to 43rd in the latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking, recording the biggest loss in ranking points among all nations in the October update.
The Nigerian team lost 83.54 points following a difficult international period that included the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), African Olympic qualifying fixtures and international friendlies.
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The latest rankings, released after 183 international matches, highlight contrasting fortunes in African women’s football, with several teams improving their positions while others suffered significant setbacks.
For Nigeria, the decline raises fresh concerns about the team’s consistency as preparations for future international competitions gather momentum.
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The Super Falcons remain Africa’s most successful women’s national team, with a record 10 WAFCON titles, but their latest ranking setback underlines the need to translate that history into stronger performances.
Malawi record historic rise
While Nigeria lost ground, Malawi emerged as the biggest climbers in the latest rankings, rising 49 places to 104th in the world.
The Scorchers gained 158.44 points, the highest increase recorded by any nation in the update, following their impressive performances during the recent international period.
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Their rise reflects the progress of a team increasingly making its mark in African women’s football and contrasts sharply with Nigeria’s decline.
Cameroon also made significant progress, climbing nine places to 62nd after emerging as African champions. Tanzania rose 11 places to 111th, while Burkina Faso moved up nine positions to 109th.
These gains underline the growing competitiveness of women’s football on the continent, where more countries are improving their performances and challenging established teams.
Egypt suffer biggest African ranking drop
Egypt recorded the largest fall in ranking positions among African teams, dropping 14 places to 113th after losing all three group-stage matches at WAFCON.
Zimbabwe fell nine places to 136th, while the Democratic Republic of Congo dropped eight positions to 114th.
Nigeria remain Africa’s highest-ranked team at 43rd, followed by South Africa in 59th, Cameroon in 62nd and Morocco in 64th.
Ghana occupy 65th position, with Zambia 70th, Côte d’Ivoire 72nd, Algeria 73rd, Senegal 76th and Mali 86th.
The rankings illustrate the contrasting progress of African teams and the pressure on established powers to maintain their positions through consistent results.
Spain retain global lead
At the top of the world rankings, Spain maintained first place after winning their first encounter with the United States before drawing the second. The results helped the European champions extend their lead over the Americans to almost 80 points.
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The United States remain second, while Germany are third after winning both of their home friendlies.
Denmark were the only team to change positions within the global top 10, climbing two places to 10th after recording a win and a draw away to Canada. The Danes returned to the top 10 for the first time since August 2010, pushing the Netherlands down to 11th and Korea DPR to 12th.
For the Super Falcons, the fall to 43rd is a setback that places renewed emphasis on improved performances and consistency. With the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil approaching, Nigeria will need to regain momentum to strengthen their global standing and maintain their position among Africa’s leading teams.
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