Super Falcons fall seven places to 43rd in FIFA rankings but stay Africa's best
- Nigeria's Super Falcons dropped from 36th to 43rd in the latest FIFA Women's World Rankings released on Tuesday.
- The slide follows a quarter-final exit at WAFCON in Morocco and a 2-1 play-off loss to South Africa.
- Despite the fall, Nigeria remains Africa's highest-ranked women's team, ahead of South Africa and Cameroon.
Nigeria's Super Falcons have fallen seven places in the latest FIFA Women's World Rankings, dropping from 36th to 43rd globally. The rankings were released on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
The 10-time African champions still hold on to their place as Africa's top-ranked women's team. South Africa, Morocco, Ghana and Zambia follow on the continent.
Naija News reported that Nigeria lost 83.54 points in the latest ranking period. The outlets agree on the size of the drop and Nigeria's continental standing.
What pulled the ranking down
The slide follows a difficult run of results. At the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, the Falcons were knocked out in the quarter-finals after defeats to Malawi and Cameroon.
Malawi, a debutant at the tournament, beat Nigeria in the opening group game. They went on to reach the final and climbed 49 places in the rankings, the biggest improvement in this edition.
Nigeria also lost 2-1 to South Africa in the play-offs for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, ending their hopes of qualifying.
There was some cheer: the team beat Comoros twice in the qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games. The second leg ended 5-0 in Ikenne on October 13, sealing a 7-0 aggregate win.
Globally, the top five did not change. Spain remain first, ahead of the United States, Germany, England and Japan.
What happens next
The Falcons now turn to a two-legged Olympic qualifying tie against Morocco, scheduled between February 23 and March 6, 2027. A place in the next qualifying round is at stake as Nigeria chase one of Africa's two tickets to Los Angeles 2028.
Interim head coach Austin Eguavoen has asked for patience. "Going forward, we expect to meet tougher opposition, no doubt about that," he said, adding that the team has "the quality" and "the personnel" to compete.
He said the coaching staff would consider players who missed the recent qualifiers while keeping the squad stable.
The next FIFA Women's World Rankings will be released on Monday, December 7, 2026.
