FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ runners-up lead for the first time since September 2018
Spain and Argentina drop down to second and third place, respectively
Plenty of movers and shakers among the top 50
The first period in which the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking has been updated in real time during national team matches has brought a raft of changes to the standings. A total of 166 men’s internationals have been played since the last update, capped by blockbuster battles in the race for the final spots at the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
France (1st, up 2) now lead the way. Two wins in their most recent friendlies have seen Les Bleus surge back to the summit for the first time since September 2018. They have leapfrogged Spain (2nd, down 1) and World champions Argentina (3rd, down 1) in the process, with virtually nothing to choose between the three. The reigning European champions’ push to preserve the pole position they had occupied since September 2025 was hampered by a stalemate with Egypt (29th, up 2) on Tuesday, 31 March.
Other notable movers include Portugal (5th, up 1), who have swapped places with Brazil (6th, down 1) after taking a win and a draw from their recent friendlies and capitalising on a slip-up from the Seleção against France. The remainder of the top 10 is unchanged.
Elsewhere, Türkiye (22nd, up 3), Côte d’Ivoire (34th, up 3), Sweden (38th, up 4) and Tunisia (44th, up 3) are the biggest climbers in the top 50. Bosnia and Herzegovina (65th, up 6) have double cause for celebration, having shot up the standings after joining fellow European play-off winners Sweden, Türkiye and Czechia (41st, up 2) in booking their ticket for this year’s FIFA World Cup™.
Vietnam (99th, up 9), Nepal (176th, up 6) and Bhutan (186th, up 6), join the Dragons in climbing more than five places, although all four remain far outside the top 50. Eritrea (184th) provide another standout story, returning to the ranking for the first time in almost three years.
With the curtain now having been drawn on qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026, it is noteworthy that only three of the top 30-ranked teams will be sitting out the spectacle on the global stage: Italy (12th, up 1), Denmark (20th, up 1) and Nigeria (26th, unchanged). No fewer than 37 of the 48 teams set to strut their stuff at the showpiece feature among the top 50.
Leaders | France (up 2) |
|---|---|
Moves into top 10 | None |
Moves out of top 10 | None |
Matches played in total | 166 |
Most matches played | Mexico (five matches) |
Biggest move by points | Vietnam (up 36.17 points) |
Biggest move by ranks | Vietnam (up 9 ranks) |
Biggest drop by points | Malaysia (down 59.67 points) |
Biggest drop by ranks | Malaysia (down 17 ranks) |
Newly ranked teams | None |
Teams that are no longer ranked | None |
Inactive teams, not ranked | None |
For their part, Kosovo (78th, up 1), who missed out on World Cup qualification at the hands of Türkiye in one of the European play-off finals, have reached their highest-ever position in the men’s pecking order.
The full ranking can be found on Inside FIFA.
The next edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking will be published on 10 June 2026.