After clinching the runners-up title at the Africa Cup of Nations, the Super Eagles of Nigeria have ascended 14 spots to claim the 28th position in the latest FIFA rankings for February.
According to the rankings published on the website of the global football governing body on Thursday, the Super Eagles accumulated 1,522 points, up from 1,474 points in December 2023. This significant advancement solidifies their position as the third-highest ranked team on the African continent, trailing behind Morocco and Senegal, with 1,663 (12th) and 1,620 (17th) points respectively. Meanwhile, the newly crowned African champions, Cote d’Ivoire, have surged to the 39th spot, climbing 10 places after their continental triumph on home soil.
South Africa, the AFCON second runners-up, also saw an upward trajectory, climbing 8 spots to secure the 58th position. However, Egypt (36th), Cameroon (51st), and Ghana (67th) experienced drops in rankings following their early exits from AFCON 2023.
Among the notable climbers in the latest rankings are Angola, who surged 24 places to 93rd after their quarter-final exit, marking the most significant improvement. Additionally, Qatar, the two-time Asian Cup winners, rose to 37th place, gaining 21 spots and recording the highest point tally (92.04 points) after successfully defending their continental crown at home.
Senegal, despite suffering shoot-out heartbreak in the AFCON Round of 16, achieved a historic milestone by climbing three places to reach the 17th position. Tajikistan also made their debut in the top 100, landing at 99th place following their maiden Asian Cup campaign.
Other noteworthy performers include Equatorial Guinea (79th, up 9), South Africa (58th, up 8), Cabo Verde (65th, up 8), Namibia (107th, up 8), and Mali (47th, up 4).