August 26, (THEWILL) – Following the recent conclusion of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, FIFA has released updated rankings for women’s national teams worldwide.
The new rankings contain several positive changes for African squads. Morocco, making its first ever World Cup appearance, made the biggest jump of any African team, climbing 14 places to 58th overall. South Africa also saw a significant rise, with Banyana Banyana improving 9 spots to 45th in the new standings.
However, Nigeria’s Super Falcons remain the top ranked African team at 32nd, moving up 8 positions. Zambia’s Copper Queens progressed as well, going from 77th to 69th. Other African teams making gains include Cameroon and Ghana, along with Cote d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Algeria, Senegal, and Mali. Overall, the new rankings show the improving quality and depth of the women’s game across the African continent.
The updated rankings also saw World Cup bronze medalists Sweden take over the number one position globally following their strong tournament performance. The United States dropped to second in the latest rankings.
With the growth reflected across Africa in the new FIFA standings, expectations will be high for even stronger showings from the region’s teams in upcoming major tournaments. The future looks bright for the continued advancement of African women’s football on the global stage.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
