Nigeria Drops 8 Spots As South Africa Moves Out of Top 50

• The Super Eagles have dropped eight places in the latest FIFA rankings released by the World football governing body
• Nigeria’s latest drop is connected with the team’s poor result in the just concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
• Argentina beat France, Belgium, and Brazil to the top spot while South Africa dropped out of the top 50 in the world

The Super Eagles have experienced a significant drop in the latest FIFA rankings, dropping from 30th to 38th in the world as reflected in the list released on Thursday, June 20, by the world football governing body, FIFA.

The three-time African champions also saw a decline in their continental standing, moving from third to fifth place in Africa.

According to The Cable NG, this drop is attributed to Nigeria’s recent lacklustre performances in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers where the team dropped points against South Africa and Benin.

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In June, the Super Eagles drew 1-1 against Bafana Bafana at the Godwill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, before they suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Benin Republic, a result that further dampened the team’s morale and impacted their ranking.

In Africa, South Africa has dropped out of the world’s top 50 after being ranked in the 58th spot in the latest rankings while Morocco (12), Senegal (18), Egypt (36), Ivory Coast (37), and Nigeria (38) complete the top five teams in the continent.

Argentina retains top spot

Meanwhile, Argentina retained their place at the summit of the world rankings as they prepare to defend their Copa America title which gets underway later this month, FIFA reports.

La Albiceleste is closely followed by France in second, while Belgium, Brazil, and England complete the top five nations in the latest FIFA rankings.

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The next FIFA world ranking will be released on July 18, 2024.

Super Eagles find new coach

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Finidi George’s resignation as Super Eagles coach last week has left a void that must be filled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) before Nigeria’s next international games.

The ex-Ajax star stepped down from his role as national head coach after back-to-back disappointing results in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin.

Finidi quit his post after the NFF had decided to appoint a foreign technical adviser for him after only two competitive games in charge as head coach.