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By Oscar Okhifo
Nigeria’s Super Falcons have retained their 36th position in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings, despite clinching a historic 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco.
The rankings, released by FIFA on Friday, mark the first update since April 2025 and reflect results from major international tournaments, including the recently concluded WAFCON. Nigeria defeated hosts Morocco in the final to reclaim the continental crown, further cementing their status as the most successful women’s national team in Africa.
Despite their triumph, the Super Falcons saw no change in their global standing, remaining static at 36th. However, they continue to lead the African continent, ahead of South Africa (51st), Morocco (58th), and Ghana (60th).
The development has sparked curiosity and concern among football lovers who expected a leap in the global pecking order following Nigeria’s dominant run. However, football analysts and ranking experts say the outcome is not unusual.
According to them, FIFA’s current ranking formula, which follows an Elo-based points system, places greater emphasis on the strength of opposition and the competitiveness of the tournament.
Regional tournaments like WAFCON, while prestigious and significant within Africa, often yield minimal global ranking points, particularly when top-ranked teams like Nigeria face lower-ranked continental opponents.
“Winning WAFCON doesn’t necessarily translate to a ranking boost unless those wins come against globally strong teams,” analyst Aaron Akerejola, explained. “Nigeria were favourites and already ahead of their African rivals. The system rewards wins against higher-ranked opposition more heavily.”
Spain maintained their position at the summit of the global rankings, followed by the United States, France, England, and Germany in the top five. Brazil moved up to 8th place, while Japan slipped to 9th.
FIFA announced that the next women’s ranking update will be published in December 2025, after the final round of international fixtures for the year.
Nigeria remains 36th in the world, unchanged from April 2025. Meanwhile, the financial rain has continue on the victorious team as Zenith Bank splashes a whooping 200Million Naira on the players and the coaches.