Nigeria has made a significant leap in the latest FIFA women's rankings as the Nigerian women's national team, the Super Falcons, climbed eight spots in the rankings.
Previously ranked 40th in the world in June, they gained 94 points, accumulating a total of 1649 points and moving up to the 32nd position globally.
This impressive rise in the rankings can be attributed to the Super Falcons' outstanding performance in the 2023 Women's World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand.
Throughout the tournament, the Super Falcons demonstrated their prowess by securing one victory and three draws in their matches.
Their journey came to an end in the tournament's penalty shootout phase against finalists England.
The Falcons showcased their strength by beginning with a goalless draw against Olympic champions Canada.
They then secured a remarkable 3-2 victory over co-hosts Australia, followed by another draw against the Republic of Ireland.
Under the leadership of Randy Waldrum, the team finished the group stage with five points, securing a place in the round of 16 for the third time in nine appearances.
Nigeria, 11-time African champions, maintained their leading position in Africa. Meanwhile, South Africa also experienced a rise in the rankings, claiming the 45th spot globally and the second position in Africa.
Cameroon secured the 56th position globally and third in Africa with 1445 points. Morocco and Ghana, occupying the 58th and 59th positions respectively worldwide, completed the top five in Africa.
Globally, Spain, the reigning world champions, secured the second-ranked position, trailing behind Sweden, who moved to the top spot from the third position.
The United States of America are in the third position, while England and France hold the fourth and fifth positions respectively.
FIFA's latest ranking release is the first since the conclusion of the 2023 Women's World Cup.
