Football
FIFA Rankings
FIFA Rankings Last update: 21 Dec 23
# Team Pts
1
Argentina
Argentina
1855.20
2
France
France
1845.44
3
England
England
1800.05
4
Belgium
Belgium
1798.46
5
Brazil
Brazil
1784.09
6
Netherlands
Netherlands
1745.48
7
Portugal
Portugal
1745.06
8
Spain
Spain
1732.64
9
Italy
Italy
1718.82
10
Croatia
Croatia
1717.57
11
Uruguay
Uruguay
1665.99
12
USA
USA
1665.27
13
Morocco
Morocco
1661.69
14
Colombia
Colombia
1655.29
15
Mexico
Mexico
1652.70
16
Germany
Germany
1631.22
17
Japan
Japan
1620.19
18
Switzerland
Switzerland
1613.44
19
Denmark
Denmark
1601.31
20
Senegal
Senegal
1594.31
21
Iran
Iran
1565.08
22
Ukraine
Ukraine
1553.35
23
South Korea
South Korea
1550.65
24
Austria
Austria
1546.10
25
Australia
Australia
1539.22
26
Sweden
Sweden
1530.19
27
Hungary
Hungary
1525.13
28
Tunisia
Tunisia
1523.23
29
Wales
Wales
1521.88
30
Algeria
Algeria
1520.26
31
Poland
Poland
1520.24
32
Ecuador
Ecuador
1519.20
33
Egypt
Egypt
1518.91
34
Serbia
Serbia
1517.43
35
Peru
Peru
1512.68
36
Scotland
Scotland
1506.89
37
Turkey
Turkey
1505.28
38
Russia
Russia
1498.84
39
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
1494.04
40
Chile
Chile
1489.82
41
Panama
Panama
1475.62
42
Nigeria
Nigeria
1474.44
43
Romania
Romania
1472.73
44
Norway
Norway
1472.36
45
Slovakia
Slovakia
1465.73
46
Cameroon
Cameroon
1463.06
47
Greece
Greece
1453.95
48
Canada
Canada
1453.76
49
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast
1447.65
50
Venezuela
Venezuela
1447.20
51
Mali
Mali
1445.60
52
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
1437.57
53
Paraguay
Paraguay
1430.73
54
Slovenia
Slovenia
1427.84
55
Jamaica
Jamaica
1421.54
56
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
1421.06
57
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
1411.01
58
Qatar
Qatar
1407.30
59
Finland
Finland
1401.31
60
Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
1399.60
61
Ghana
Ghana
1384.19
62
Albania
Albania
1382.69
63
Iraq
Iraq
1365.98
64
UAE
UAE
1364.46
65
North Macedonia
North Macedonia
1362.17
66
South Africa
South Africa
1357.08
67
DR Congo
DR Congo
1356.66
68
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
1345.26
69
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosnia-Herzegovina
1343.32
70
Montenegro
Montenegro
1342.64
71
Iceland
Iceland
1338.39
72
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
1333.17
73
Cape Verde
Cape Verde
1329.80
74
Oman
Oman
1324.89
75
Israel
Israel
1323.43
76
Honduras
Honduras
1313.80
77
Georgia
Georgia
1312.45
78
El Salvador
El Salvador
1306.14
79
China
China
1299.49
80
Republic of Guinea
Republic of Guinea
1290.01
81
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
1289.90
82
Gabon
Gabon
1289.52
83
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
1285.41
84
Zambia
Zambia
1284.56
85
Bolivia
Bolivia
1284.55
86
Bahrain
Bahrain
1277.29
87
Jordan
Jordan
1272.63
88
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea
1268.43
89
Haiti
Haiti
1262.50
90
Curacao
Curacao
1262.48
91
Syria
Syria
1245.27
92
Uganda
Uganda
1245.08
93
Armenia
Armenia
1237.15
94
Vietnam
Vietnam
1235.58
95
Belarus
Belarus
1232.80
96
Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad & Tobago
1228.05
97
Benin
Benin
1225.10
98
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
1224.14
99
Palestine
Palestine
1217.60
100
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
1215.16
101
Kosovo
Kosovo
1202.77
102
India
India
1200.80
103
Guinea Bissau
Guinea Bissau
1197.83
105
Mauritania
Mauritania
1195.25
106
Tajikistan
Tajikistan
1195.07
107
Lebanon
Lebanon
1192.58
108
Guatemala
Guatemala
1189.98
109
Madagascar
Madagascar
1187.63
110
Kenya
Kenya
1181.92
111
Mozambique
Mozambique
1180.72
113
Thailand
Thailand
1176.75
114
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
1174.22
115
Namibia
Namibia
1168.38
116
Korea DPR
Korea DPR
1168.12
117
Angola
Angola
1168.05
118
Togo
Togo
1165.74
119
Comoros
Comoros
1156.45
120
Libya
Libya
1155.23
121
Tanzania
Tanzania
1155.19
122
Estonia
Estonia
1149.70
123
Malawi
Malawi
1149.40
124
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
1144.56
125
Cyprus
Cyprus
1143.42
127
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
1138.53
128
Sudan
Sudan
1128.74
129
Niger
Niger
1127.75
130
Malaysia
Malaysia
1122.87
131
Central African Republic
Central African Republic
1121.34
132
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
1113.57
133
Rwanda
Rwanda
1107.04
134
Nicaragua
Nicaragua
1104.26
135
Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
1102.10
136
Kuwait
Kuwait
1098.07
137
Latvia
Latvia
1097.84
138
Lithuania
Lithuania
1086.93
139
Burundi
Burundi
1086.62
140
Philippines
Philippines
1086.17
141
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
1078.25
142
Antigua & Barbuda
Antigua & Barbuda
1072.66
143
Suriname
Suriname
1071.85
144
Ethiopia
Ethiopia
1068.79
145
Botswana
Botswana
1064.50
146
Indonesia
Indonesia
1064.01
147
St. Kitts & Nevis
St. Kitts & Nevis
1057.05
148
Lesotho
Lesotho
1047.27
149
Eswatini
Eswatini
1045.88
150
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
1042.93
151
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
1040.77
152
Yemen
Yemen
1027.94
153
Liberia
Liberia
1024.11
154
Taiwan
Taiwan
1023.93
155
Moldova
Moldova
1022.60
156
Singapore
Singapore
1020.50
157
Guyana
Guyana
1018.14
158
Afghanistan
Afghanistan
1017.68
159
New Caledonia
New Caledonia
1008.92
160
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
1007.19
161
Maldives
Maldives
1003.48
162
Myanmar
Myanmar
1000.46
163
Tahiti
Tahiti
999.48
164
Andorra
Andorra
998.00
165
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
990.61
166
South Sudan
South Sudan
989.29
167
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
988.67
168
Fiji
Fiji
981.26
169
Cuba
Cuba
980.65
170
Vanuatu
Vanuatu
980.33
171
Bermuda
Bermuda
972.36
172
Malta
Malta
967.29
174
Grenada
Grenada
950.99
175
Nepal
Nepal
948.05
176
Montserrat
Montserrat
946.08
177
Mauritius
Mauritius
944.95
178
Barbados
Barbados
943.80
179
Cambodia
Cambodia
931.47
180
Dominica
Dominica
922.25
181
Chad
Chad
920.37
182
Belize
Belize
918.68
183
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
916.75
184
Bhutan
Bhutan
913.02
185
Cook Islands
Cook Islands
897.30
186
Samoa
Samoa
896.78
187
Macau
Macau
896.62
189
Laos
Laos
889.62
190
Mongolia
Mongolia
889.16
191
Sao Tome And Principe
Sao Tome And Principe
888.94
192
Djibouti
Djibouti
881.18
193
Aruba
Aruba
879.32
194
Brunei
Brunei
870.63
195
Pakistan
Pakistan
856.54
196
Tonga
Tonga
856.18
197
Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
851.19
198
Somalia
Somalia
845.66
199
Seychelles
Seychelles
845.53
200
Timor Leste
Timor Leste
843.40
201
Gibraltar
Gibraltar
840.80
202
Bahamas
Bahamas
835.81
203
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
833.01
204
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
822.03
205
Guam
Guam
821.91
206
Turks and Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands
818.57
207
British Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands
807.57
208
US Virgin Islands
US Virgin Islands
796.78
209
Anguilla
Anguilla
785.69
210
San Marino
San Marino
741.61

Latest FIFA Men's Rankings: The Best International Teams in The World

When betting on football, you have to find out about the top teams. One way to do that is to look at the latest FIFA World Ranking. The system grades the performance of the men's national teams in football. Using different metrics, FIFA, the world governing body for association football, awards points to determine how a team ranks. These rankings change constantly, and learning how they work helps with betting decisions. This guide explains the FIFA Men's World Ranking in detail.

History of FIFA World Rankings

Fédération Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, is the body that governs association football, futsal and beach football in the world. Launched in 1904 with its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, FIFA oversees international competition among member nations. When it was formed, the organisation comprised 8 countries - Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France, Denmark, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands. Presently, FIFA has 211 national associations. Every FIFA member association must be in one of the six regional confederations - Asia, Africa, North & Central America, South America, Europe, the Caribbean and Oceania.

FIFA first released the men's ranking in 1992 to compare the strengths of its members' international teams. At the time, the membership was 167. From August 1993, the organisation began publishing the list more regularly. The rating system received a lot of criticism for not reflecting the true strength of a national team. In 1999, and again in 2006, FIFA revised its calculation methods to factor in the shortcomings pointed out. Coca-Cola currently sponsors the FIFA World Ranking. Therefore, the system is sometimes referred to as the Coca-Cola World Ranking.

FIFA Men's World Ranking Leaders

When FIFA published its first world ranking of the men's international teams, Germany took the top spot. The team had been on a successful run, having reached the finals of the three previous FIFA World Cup tournaments, and winning one. Brazil ousted Germany from number one heading into the 1994 World Cup. The Brazilian men's national team has held the No. 1 spot the most times (12) since it was established. After it won the 1994 World Cup, Brazil led the FIFA rankings for seven straight years. France took over as the rank leader in 2001, but Brazil regained the position after a great run in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Spain has led the list six times. Belgium has also been successful in the rankings, topping the list from 2018 to 2021. It presently sits at No. 5. Brazil is currently in the No.3 spot of the World Rankings, a position it has retained from the previous ranking.

How are FIFA Rankings Calculated?

Football's world governing body has had to revise ranking calculations a few times due to criticism that the existing method didn't account for some vital elements. The first formula was used between 1992 and 1998. It awarded points for winning, drawing or losing a match. It also had points for goals scored and bonuses for away matches. Additionally, the system factored in the type of competition and regional strength.

FIFA adjusted the system in 1999 to make it more accurate. It calculated point scores based only on the senior men's national team games. The biggest change was that the method used the seven best matches annually. Additionally, it allowed match losers to earn points and removed fixed points for wins and draws. The system was employed until 2006.

After the 2006 World Cup, FIFA updated the system again, making it simpler. The evaluation period was reduced to four years instead of eight. Home and away advantage ceased to be a determinant in a team's ranking.

Current Calculation Method

The FIFA Council announced on June 10, 2018, that it would make significant changes in how it ranks international teams in men's football. For a long time, debates raged about how effective the previous method was. So, FIFA conducted reviews and studies to find the best way to calculate rankings. The overhaul was scheduled after the 2018 World Cup finals.

The current technique is inspired by the Elo rating system used in chess and other sports. It adds or subtracts points to a team's existing total on a game-by-game basis. Unlike Elo ratings, the ranking system doesn't factor in the margin of victory and home or away games. Points are calculated as P = Pbefore + I (W - We), where;

  • P is the points before the match
  • I is importance of the game
  • W is the match result
  • We are the expected game result
  • When calculating W, a win is 1 point, a draw is 0.5 points and a loss is 0.

One advantage of this system is that friendly matches outside the international match calendar earn fewer points (5) than games inside the calendar (10). For this reason, teams won't be able to rig the system like before by avoiding friendlies.

FIFA did away with confederation weighting. Previously, CONMEBOL and UEFA had more weight than other confederations, which saw European and South American teams occupy most of the top 50 positions.

Ranking Schedule - When Are Rankings Released?

The FIFA rankings men's football list is published according to the organisation's international windows. For example, in 2022, FIFA will release the rankings on August 25, October 6 and December 22. However, ranking points are updated after each game as opposed to setting a particular day to calculate them.

Confederations Rankings

FIFA has six confederations, which consist of men's national teams from specific regions. A country can be part of a confederation but not FIFA. Thus, it can participate in competitions at the confederation level but can't play in the World Cup. How a team ranks and performs at the confederation level impacts its place in the World Rankings because the calculation system awards points for these matches. Here's a look at the confederations:

CONMEBOL

The South American Football Confederation governs football in South America. Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana are not part of it. CONMEBOL, which has its headquarters in Luque, Paraguay, is the world's oldest continental confederation. However, it has the fewest member associations with 10 countries. Brazil is the most successful team in CONMEBOL, having won five FIFA World Cups. Argentina and Uruguay each have two. The same teams also have two Olympic gold medals each. Hence, the confederation is considered the strongest in the world. The Copa América is the region's biggest title.

UEFA

The Union of European Football Associations is the body overseeing football in Europe, Israel and Asia. It also governs football in the Eurasian transcontinental countries of Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Kazakhstan. The confederation has 55 members, although Russia is currently suspended from all competitions. The UEFA Champions League is the confederation's biggest tournament. Germany and Italy have the most World Cup titles, with four each. England and Spain have each won once.

CONCACAF

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football governs 41 member associations mainly in North and Central America. Three South American nations - Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname are also part of CONCACAF. It's ranked as the third most successful confederation. Mexico is one of the most dominant teams in the region, winning six Gold Cups, the confederation's biggest tournament. No CONCACAF team has ever won the FIFA World Cup or reached the finals. The U.S. has reached the semi-finals, Mexico has played in the quarter-finals twice, and Cuba once.

CAF

The Confederation of African Football oversees men's football, futsal and beach soccer in Africa. Presently, the confederation has 54 member associations, making it the largest. Zanzibar and Réunion are associate members. From 226, the region will get 9 spots in the World Cup, with expectations for a 10th after the addition of intercontinental playoffs. The Africa Cup of Nations is the confederation's premier tournament. Senegal is currently the leader in CAF rankings. No CAF-member national team has ever won the World Cup.

AFC

The Asian Football Confederation is the controlling body of football in some countries and territories in Asia and Oceania. It comprises 47 member associations. The AFC Asian Cup is the biggest competition in the confederation. Qatar is the current champion. Iran is the top-ranking team in the AFC. Although some CAF member associations have played in the World, none has won. North Korea got to the quarter-finals.

How Does FIFA World Ranking Affect The World Cup?

In some cases, FIFA uses the latest ranking or releases a special one to seed teams for World Cup qualifying matches. Therefore, the position of a national team can determine its opponents during the campaign. Stronger teams that end up in Pot One in the qualification playoffs have an advantage because they don't have to play other '‘big” sides in the same group. In sports betting, rankings affect the odds bookmakers offer for the World Cup as it determine favourites and underdogs.

FIFA Team Awards

A year after FIFA introduced the international rankings, it came up with two annual awards. The awards are based on a national team's performance in the ranking. FIFA has changed how it calculates points for the best teams, which influences the countries that walk away with the awards. The governing body introduced the awards to recognise the team that outperformed the rest and the one with the biggest progress. Here is more insight into how the honours are awarded.

Team of the Year

FIFA's Team of the Year (TOTY) goes to the national team that ranks first in the December edition of the World Ranking. An exception to this rule was in 2000 and 2001 when the honour went to the nation that collected the most average points in the recent year's best seven matches. As of FIFA rankings 2022, Belgium holds the title of TOTY for the fifth time in a row. Brazil has had the most consecutive wins – seven, from 1994 to 2000 – and the most wins overall (12). Spain has been Team of the Year six consecutive times but hasn't won since 2013.

Best Mover of the Year

This award is for the team with the most significant improvement in the FIFA World Ranking. However, it doesn't only consider a team's difference in point scores. FIFA takes into account the fact that collecting points is harder the higher a team is on the list. From 2003-2006, an index was calculated by multiplying a team's number of points at the end of the year by the points earned during the year. The team with the highest index won. During this period, an official award was presented to the winning team's coach at the FIFA World Player Gala. After 2006, the award stopped being part of the annual awards ceremony. However, FIFA still publishes a list of the Best Movers. Since the calculation revisions of 2006, a team's progress is measured by comparing its points at the end of the year with 12 months earlier.

FAQ about FIFA Men's World Ranking

Do you want to know more about the FIFA International Rankings? This section provides additional information by answering a few common questions.

What is the Point of FIFA Rankings?

FIFA uses a team's game results and other metrics to measure its strength compared to other member nations. World Rankings tell how well a country's team is doing and also show its progress over a certain period. FIFA also uses the list as part, or the entire, criteria for seeding competitions like the World Cup, CONCACAF, UEFA and CAF tournaments. Also, the two annual team awards use the rankings to draw winners. The English Football Association grants players work permits by checking a national team's ranking in the last 24 months as part of the eligibility requirements.

When Does FIFA Update Its Men's Rankings?

As of 2018 when FIFA overhauled its calculation method, the list is updated on a game-by-game basis. Before that, rankings were updated once a month on a specific date. With the new calculation formula, teams are sure they have the most recent point total.

How Often are FIFA Rankings Updated On Oddspedia?

At Oddspedia, you can be sure about receiving the latest FIFA Men's World Ranking because the site presents them in real-time. They will be available as soon as FIFA releases them.

Where Are England in the Current FIFA World Rankings?

As of 20th of July, 2023, England ranks fourth in the rankings with 1797.39 points. 

How Does FIFA Rank National Teams?

FIFA modelled the current ranking after the Elo rating system, which is used in various sports. The method adds or subtracts points after each game rather than calculating the average. However, it doesn't include home and away games or consider the margin of victory. Calculations consider the importance of a match and the strength of the opponent. In an instance where two teams rank the same, the following team takes the next immediate position.

Where Can I Find The Current FIFA World Rankings?

The latest international ranking of the men's teams is available on the official FIFA website. You can also find a dated list and other football news on Oddspedia.

Who is the World's No.1 Ranked Men's Football Team?

As of the list released on the 20th of July, 2023, Argentina ranks No. 1 with 1843.73 points.

Does The No. 1 Ranked Team Generally Win The World Cup?

Not necessarily. Although rankings show a national team's quality, it does not dictate future performance. Nevertheless, the team ranked first as a favourite among bookies heading into the competition, and the odds reflect that.

What FIFA Ranking Does the USA Have?

The USA men's team is currently at position 11, with 1674.48 points. It moved up a position from its previous ranking, which it held with a point score of 1633.72.

Who Is the Lowest Ranked FIFA Men's Team?

San Marino is currently last in the FIFA rankings men list, with 753.11 points, 13.15 points fewer than its previous ranking.

Does the USA Women's Team Have a Higher FIFA Ranking than the Men?

Yes, the USA Women's team is one of the best-ranked in FIFA. It currently sits third with 2051.21 points as of 25th of August, 20232. It was No. 1 in the previous ranking. While the men's team has a FIFA ranking of 11.

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