Banyana Banyana slip on the latest FIFA rankings despite unbeaten run

Following four months packed with continental competitions and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ qualifiers, the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking has once again undergone a reshuffle.

South Africa (now 55th, down 1) have slipped one place since the last update, despite recording encouraging results during the ranking period. Banyana Banyana earned a 1-1 draw and a 1-0 win over Congo in their two-legged WAFCON 2027 qualifier, securing progression to the next stage.

Banyana Banyana also closed out the year with a morale-boosting 2-0 friendly victory against Morocco. Yet, these performances were not enough to prevent a slight drop in the standings.

At the top, world champions Spain (1st, unchanged) retained their UEFA Women’s Nations League crown to stay in pole position after regaining top spot in August. Germany (3rd, up 2) made the biggest leap among the top 10 after reaching the Nations League final, while the USA (2nd, unchanged) remain sandwiched between the two European heavyweights.

Further down the top 10, Sweden (5th, down 2) slipped after their semi-final defeat to Spain, while France (7th, down 1) and Canada (10th, down 1) also lost ground. In contrast, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ hosts Brazil (6th, up 1) and Korea DPR (9th, up 1) climbed the standings.

Elsewhere, Nicaragua (96th), Burkina Faso (118th), and American Samoa (137th) each rose 16 places, with American Samoa registering the biggest points gain of all (up 63.14) thanks to wins over the Cook Islands and Tonga.

Paraguay (46th, down 5) were the biggest fallers in the top 50, while Mali (85th, down 6) and Egypt (101st, down 6) also struggled. India (67th), Cameroon (70th), and the Solomon Islands (77th) each dropped four places.

Africa welcomed two new entrants to the ranking: Chad and Libya, who joined after competing in the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series™. Their addition brings the total number of FIFA Member Associations in the women’s standings to a record 198. Meanwhile, Poland (24th), Venezuela (42nd), Cabo Verde (119th), and Saudi Arabia (161st) all achieved all-time highs.