France (1st, up 2) now takes the lead. Two victories in their recent friendlies have propelled Les Bleus back to the top for the first time since September 2018. They have overtaken Spain (2nd, down 1) and World champions Argentina (3rd, down 1) in doing so, with almost no separation among the three. The reigning European champions’ attempt to maintain the number one position they held since September 2025 was hindered by a draw against Egypt (29th, up 2) on Tuesday, 31 March.
Other significant movers include Portugal (5th, up 1), who have exchanged positions with Brazil (6th, down 1) after securing a win and a draw in their latest friendlies, taking advantage of a misstep from the Seleção against France. The remainder of the top 10 remains unchanged.
Vietnam (99th, up 9), Nepal (176th, up 6), and Bhutan (186th, up 6) also saw increases of more than five places, though all four teams are still well outside the top 50. Eritrea (184th) marks another remarkable story, returning to the ranking for the first time in nearly three years.
With qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 now concluded, it’s notable that only three of the top 30-ranked teams will not be participating in the global event: Italy (12th, up 1), Denmark (20th, up 1), and Nigeria (26th, unchanged). A remarkable 37 of the 48 teams expected to showcase their talents at the tournament are among the top 50.
On their part, Kosovo (78th, up 1), who fell short in World Cup qualification against Türkiye in one of the European play-off finals, have achieved their highest-ever ranking in the men’s hierarchy.
