By Reuters

Published on 20 Jul 202620 Jul 2026

The rankings were updated following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which saw Spain claim their title.

World Cup champions Spain surged to the top of the FIFA men’s rankings, displacing Argentina, who fell to second, with France holding steady at third.

Luis de la Fuente’s side beat 2022 champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time on Sunday to return to the top of the rankings for the first time since January.

France and England kept their places at third and fourth, respectively, even though Thomas Tuchel’s squad defeated Les Bleus to win the bronze medal.

Brazil rose to fifth, while Morocco climbed to a record-high sixth.

Portugal fell two places to seventh after their round-of-16 exit at the World Cup. Belgium moved up to eighth, swapping places with the Netherlands, who dropped to ninth.

Mexico climbed four places to break into the top 10, while Norway were the biggest movers, jumping 12 places to 19th after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals.

Germany fell out of the top 10 and dropped to 12th, one place ahead of Croatia. Italy, who failed to qualify for the World Cup, slipped to 15th.

Tunisia suffered the biggest drop, falling 12 places to 57th, while Egypt climbed five spots to 24th and Paraguay rose seven places to 34th after reaching the World Cup round of 16.

Cabo Verde, who reached the round of 32, climbed three places to 64th, one spot ahead of Ghana, who moved up eight places.

Spain’s return to the summit of the rankings reflects their World Cup triumph, while Morocco’s rise to a record sixth spot signals the progress of African teams. The next update will depend on upcoming international fixtures and results.