FIFA World Ranking
Understanding the FIFA World Ranking System
The FIFA World Ranking is the official ranking system for men's national football teams, updated monthly based on international match results. Rankings determine tournament seedings, qualifying groups, and have significant implications for a nation's football standing on the world stage.
The current FIFA ranking system, introduced in 2018, uses an Elo-based formula that considers match importance, result (win/draw/loss), goal difference (limited to a cap of 3 goals), and the relative strength of opponents. This replaced the previous system that had been criticized for not accurately reflecting team quality.
How ranking points are calculated:
- Match importance: World Cup finals carry the highest weight (60 points), followed by continental championships (50), World Cup qualifiers (25), and friendlies (10)
- Match result: Wins earn more points than draws, and losses can result in point deductions
- Goal difference: Winning by larger margins (up to 3 goals) provides bonus points
- Opponent strength: Beating higher-ranked teams awards more points than defeating lower-ranked opponents
The rankings have real-world consequences beyond prestige. They determine pot allocations for World Cup draws, seeding for continental championships, and influence the difficulty of qualifying campaigns. A team's ranking position can mean the difference between a favorable or challenging path to qualification.
Points decay over time, with results older than four years no longer contributing to a team's total. This ensures the rankings reflect current form rather than historical achievements.
RankNational TeamConfederationTotal Points
1
1
SpainUEFA
1995.88+121.17 pts
1
1
1995.88+121.17 pts
2
1
ArgentinaCONMEBOL
1970.37+93.10 pts
2
1
1970.37+93.10 pts
3
FranceUEFA
1948.97+78.27 pts
3
1948.97+78.27 pts
4
EnglandUEFA
1922.83+94.81 pts
4
1922.83+94.81 pts
5
1
BrazilCONMEBOL
1804.92+39.06 pts
5
1
1804.92+39.06 pts
6
1
MoroccoCAF
1803.99+48.89 pts
6
1
1803.99+48.89 pts
7
2
PortugalUEFA
1787.85+20.00 pts
7
2
1787.85+20.00 pts
8
1
BelgiumUEFA
1778.36+36.12 pts
8
1
1778.36+36.12 pts
9
1
NetherlandsUEFA
1775.54+21.97 pts
9
1
1775.54+21.97 pts
10
4
MexicoCONCACAF
1754.30+66.82 pts
10
4
1754.30+66.82 pts
11
2
ColombiaCONMEBOL
1739.89+41.54 pts
11
2
1739.89+41.54 pts
12
2
GermanyUEFA
1726.22-9.55 pts
12
2
1726.22-9.55 pts
13
2
CroatiaUEFA
1723.05+8.18 pts
13
2
1723.05+8.18 pts
14
5
SwitzerlandUEFA
1710.88+60.82 pts
14
5
1710.88+60.82 pts
15
3
ItalyUEFA
1704.73
15
3
1704.73
16
1
United StatesCONCACAF
1690.33+19.10 pts
16
1
1690.33+19.10 pts
17
1
JapanAFC
1673.68+12.10 pts
17
1
1673.68+12.10 pts
18
3
SenegalCAF
1653.43-30.64 pts
18
3
1653.43-30.64 pts
19
12
NorwayUEFA
1651.29+93.85 pts
19
12
1651.29+93.85 pts
20
4
UruguayCONMEBOL
1634.70-38.37 pts
20
4
1634.70-38.37 pts
21
DenmarkUEFA
1619.47
21
1619.47
22
2
IR IranAFC
1609.85-9.73 pts
22
2
1609.85-9.73 pts
23
1
AustriaUEFA
1598.82+1.42 pts
23
1
1598.82+1.42 pts
24
5
EgyptCAF
1597.04+34.67 pts
24
5
1597.04+34.67 pts
25
2
EcuadorCONMEBOL
1592.59-5.93 pts
25
2
1592.59-5.93 pts
26
NigeriaCAF
1585.02
26
1585.02
27
5
TürkiyeUEFA
1582.54-23.19 pts
27
5
1582.54-23.19 pts
28
1
AustraliaAFC
1581.51+2.17 pts
28
1
1581.51+2.17 pts
29
1
AlgeriaCAF
1576.80+5.77 pts
29
1
1576.80+5.77 pts
30
CanadaCONCACAF
1571.34+11.86 pts
30
1571.34+11.86 pts
31
2
Côte d’IvoireCAF
1565.47+24.60 pts
31
2
1565.47+24.60 pts
32
7
Korea RepublicAFC
1558.72-32.91 pts
32
7
1558.72-32.91 pts
33
1
UkraineUEFA
1549.29
33
1
1549.29
34
7
ParaguayCONMEBOL
1542.48+37.13 pts
34
7
1542.48+37.13 pts
35
RussiaUEFA
1529.60
35
1529.60
36
PolandUEFA
1526.18
36
1526.18
37
1
SwedenUEFA
1525.58+15.79 pts
37
1
1525.58+15.79 pts
38
1
WalesUEFA
1516.95
38
1
1516.95
39
HungaryUEFA
1506.39
39
1506.39
40
3
SerbiaUEFA
1502.13
40
3
1502.13
41
5
Congo DRCAF
1495.48+21.05 pts
41
5
1495.48+21.05 pts
42
ScotlandUEFA
1491.22-12.12 pts
42
1491.22-12.12 pts
43
1
CameroonCAF
1481.24
43
1
1481.24
44
10
PanamaCONCACAF
1478.41-60.75 pts
44
10
1478.41-60.75 pts
45
2
SlovakiaUEFA
1473.66
45
2
1473.66
46
2
GreeceUEFA
1473.19
46
2
1473.19
47
2
VenezuelaCONMEBOL
1469.18
47
2
1469.18
48
8
CzechiaUEFA
1467.26-38.48 pts
48
8
1467.26-38.48 pts
49
2
ChileCONMEBOL
1458.20
49
2
1458.20
50
2
PeruCONMEBOL
1457.69
50
2
1457.69
51
2
Costa RicaCONCACAF
1456.03
51
2
1456.03
52
2
RomaniaUEFA
1455.89
52
2
1455.89
53
2
MaliCAF
1455.59
53
2
1455.59
54
6
South AfricaCAF
1451.24+22.86 pts
54
6
1451.24+22.86 pts
55
3
Republic of IrelandUEFA
1441.10
55
3
1441.10
56
3
SloveniaUEFA
1441.09
56
3
1441.09
57
12
TunisiaCAF
1426.58-49.83 pts
57
12
1426.58-49.83 pts
58
3
Saudi ArabiaAFC
1425.52+1.64 pts
58
3
1425.52+1.64 pts
59
3
QatarAFC
1411.06-39.25 pts
59
3
1411.06-39.25 pts
60
10
UzbekistanAFC
1409.73-49.00 pts
60
10
1409.73-49.00 pts
61
3
Bosnia and HerzegovinaUEFA
1408.93+21.71 pts
61
3
1408.93+21.71 pts
62
Burkina FasoCAF
1406.99
62
1406.99
63
6
IraqAFC
1404.17-42.11 pts
63
6
1404.17-42.11 pts
64
3
Cabo VerdeCAF
1402.97+31.86 pts
64
3
1402.97+31.86 pts
65
8
GhanaCAF
1387.00+40.12 pts
65
8
1387.00+40.12 pts
66
1
HondurasCONCACAF
1378.97
66
1
1378.97
67
1
AlbaniaUEFA
1376.03
67
1
1376.03
68
United Arab EmiratesAFC
1370.47
68
1370.47
69
North MacedoniaUEFA
1369.16
69
1369.16
70
Northern IrelandUEFA
1365.30
70
1365.30
71
JamaicaCONCACAF
1357.84
71
1357.84
72
GeorgiaUEFA
1355.26
72
1355.26
73
10
JordanAFC
1350.41-37.33 pts
73
10
1350.41-37.33 pts
74
IcelandUEFA
1342.77
74
1342.77
75
FinlandUEFA
1341.92
75
1341.92
76
IsraelUEFA
1333.90
76
1333.90
77
BoliviaCONMEBOL
1326.00
77
1326.00
78
KosovoUEFA
1319.12
78
1319.12
79
OmanAFC
1306.90
79
1306.90
80
MontenegroUEFA
1301.98
80
1301.98
81
GuineaCAF
1295.60
81
1295.60
82
CuraçaoCONCACAF
1285.64-9.13 pts
82
1285.64-9.13 pts
83
1
SyriaAFC
1283.05
83
1
1283.05
84
2
GabonCAF
1272.51
84
2
1272.51
85
2
BulgariaUEFA
1271.68
85
2
1271.68
86
1
New ZealandOFC
1269.80-5.78 pts
86
1
1269.80-5.78 pts
87
1
AngolaCAF
1265.58
87
1
1265.58
88
5
HaitiCONCACAF
1264.58-28.52 pts
88
5
1264.58-28.52 pts
89
UgandaCAF
1264.09
89
1264.09
90
ZambiaCAF
1255.82
90
1255.82
91
China PRAFC
1254.81
91
1254.81
92
BahrainAFC
1254.41
92
1254.41
93
BeninCAF
1252.17
93
1252.17
94
ThailandAFC
1250.80
94
1250.80
95
PalestineAFC
1243.71
95
1243.71
96
BelarusUEFA
1242.88
96
1242.88
97
GuatemalaCONCACAF
1238.74
97
1238.74
98
LuxembourgUEFA
1232.82
98
1232.82
99
VietnamAFC
1227.20+1.52 pts
99
1227.20+1.52 pts
100
El SalvadorCONCACAF
1225.34
100
1225.34
101
TajikistanAFC
1224.19
101
1224.19
102
Trinidad and TobagoCONCACAF
1219.59
102
1219.59
103
MozambiqueCAF
1218.62
103
1218.62
104
MadagascarCAF
1202.69
104
1202.69
105
Equatorial GuineaCAF
1195.20
105
1195.20
106
Kyrgyz RepublicAFC
1192.16
106
1192.16
107
ArmeniaUEFA
1189.63
107
1189.63
108
ComorosCAF
1187.91
108
1187.91
109
KenyaCAF
1185.08
109
1185.08
110
LibyaCAF
1182.08
110
1182.08
111
KazakhstanUEFA
1180.78
111
1180.78
112
TanzaniaCAF
1180.27
112
1180.27
113
MauritaniaCAF
1176.68
113
1176.68
114
NigerCAF
1175.33
114
1175.33
115
LebanonAFC
1172.22
115
1172.22
116
The GambiaCAF
1159.64
116
1159.64
117
SudanCAF
1157.22
117
1157.22
118
IndonesiaAFC
1157.14
118
1157.14
119
TogoCAF
1152.76
119
1152.76
120
Korea DPRAFC
1151.05
120
1151.05
121
NamibiaCAF
1148.84
121
1148.84
122
Sierra LeoneCAF
1147.56
122
1147.56
123
Faroe IslandsUEFA
1136.59
123
1136.59
124
CyprusUEFA
1133.25
124
1133.25
125
SurinameCONCACAF
1132.43
125
1132.43
126
AzerbaijanUEFA
1132.00
126
1132.00
127
EstoniaUEFA
1130.64
127
1130.64
128
RwandaCAF
1126.62
128
1126.62
129
MalawiCAF
1122.05
129
1122.05
130
ZimbabweCAF
1119.78
130
1119.78
131
NicaraguaCONCACAF
1114.63
131
1114.63
132
Guinea-BissauCAF
1108.38
132
1108.38
133
KuwaitAFC
1106.47
133
1106.47
134
CongoCAF
1105.96
134
1105.96
135
PhilippinesAFC
1100.95
135
1100.95
136
MalaysiaAFC
1086.22
136
1086.22
137
LatviaUEFA
1085.66
137
1085.66
138
IndiaAFC
1084.93
138
1084.93
139
Central African RepublicCAF
1080.82
139
1080.82
140
LiberiaCAF
1080.44
140
1080.44
141
TurkmenistanAFC
1078.65
141
1078.65
142
BurundiCAF
1078.01
142
1078.01
143
EthiopiaCAF
1077.52
143
1077.52
144
Dominican RepublicCONCACAF
1076.50
144
1076.50
145
YemenAFC
1065.24
145
1065.24
146
LesothoCAF
1064.29
146
1064.29
147
BotswanaCAF
1063.63
147
1063.63
148
SingaporeAFC
1057.95
148
1057.95
149
LithuaniaUEFA
1056.85
149
1056.85
150
GuyanaCONCACAF
1049.32
150
1049.32
151
New CaledoniaOFC
1036.95
151
1036.95
152
St Kitts and NevisCONCACAF
1036.33
152
1036.33
153
Solomon IslandsOFC
1031.89
153
1031.89
154
Puerto RicoCONCACAF
1024.30
154
1024.30
155
FijiOFC
1024.17
155
1024.17
156
Hong Kong, ChinaAFC
1024.16
156
1024.16
157
TahitiOFC
1019.04
157
1019.04
158
MyanmarAFC
1009.39-1.52 pts
158
1009.39-1.52 pts
159
MoldovaUEFA
1008.24
159
1008.24
160
VanuatuOFC
1002.53
160
1002.53
161
MaltaUEFA
992.79
161
992.79
162
Antigua and BarbudaCONCACAF
986.58
162
986.58
163
GrenadaCONCACAF
981.82
163
981.82
164
CubaCONCACAF
981.42
164
981.42
165
EswatiniCAF
979.01
165
979.01
166
St LuciaCONCACAF
976.71
166
976.71
167
BermudaCONCACAF
975.05
167
975.05
168
Papua New GuineaOFC
974.90
168
974.90
169
South SudanCAF
970.94
169
970.94
170
St Vincent and the GrenadinesCONCACAF
968.27
170
968.27
171
AfghanistanAFC
968.07
171
968.07
172
AndorraUEFA
946.43
172
946.43
173
MaldivesAFC
943.92
173
943.92
174
Chinese TaipeiAFC
923.78
174
923.78
175
CambodiaAFC
922.32
175
922.32
176
MontserratCONCACAF
916.75
176
916.75
177
NepalAFC
914.54
177
914.54
178
MauritiusCAF
911.49
178
911.49
179
BarbadosCONCACAF
909.89
179
909.89
180
BelizeCONCACAF
907.00
180
907.00
181
BangladeshAFC
902.93
181
902.93
182
DominicaCONCACAF
897.69
182
897.69
183
ChadCAF
896.85
183
896.85
184
EritreaCAF
887.06
184
887.06
185
LaosAFC
885.03
185
885.03
186
Cook IslandsOFC
877.54+0.01 pts
186
877.54+0.01 pts
187
Sri LankaAFC
876.86
187
876.86
188
SamoaOFC
876.41
188
876.41
189
ArubaCONCACAF
875.61
189
875.61
190
MongoliaAFC
874.47
190
874.47
191
American SamoaOFC
871.61
191
871.61
192
BhutanAFC
870.81
192
870.81
193
MacauAFC
858.03
193
858.03
194
Brunei DarussalamAFC
857.73
194
857.73
195
São Tomé and PríncipeCAF
855.44
195
855.44
196
DjiboutiCAF
853.58
196
853.58
197
Cayman IslandsCONCACAF
850.06
197
850.06
198
PakistanAFC
840.28
198
840.28
199
SomaliaCAF
839.17
199
839.17
200
TongaOFC
835.64
200
835.64
201
Timor-LesteAFC
831.00
201
831.00
202
GibraltarUEFA
820.26
202
820.26
203
GuamAFC
819.54
203
819.54
204
SeychellesCAF
804.16
204
804.16
205
Turks and Caicos IslandsCONCACAF
803.98
205
803.98
206
LiechtensteinUEFA
797.70
206
797.70
207
BahamasCONCACAF
786.82
207
786.82
208
US Virgin IslandsCONCACAF
779.76
208
779.76
209
British Virgin IslandsCONCACAF
777.41
209
777.41
210
AnguillaCONCACAF
760.25
210
760.25
211
San MarinoUEFA
721.20
211
721.20
Ranking Impact on Tournament Seedings
Understanding how rankings affect tournament seedings is crucial for fans following qualification campaigns and major tournaments.
Understanding how rankings affect tournament seedings is crucial for fans following qualification campaigns and major tournaments.
World Cup Draw Seedings
For World Cup finals draws, the host nation and highest-ranked qualified teams are placed in Pot 1. Remaining teams are distributed across pots based on ranking, ensuring each group has one team from each pot. This system aims to create balanced groups while rewarding consistent performance.
Continental Championship Impact
Similar seeding systems apply to continental championships. For Euro and Copa América, rankings often determine which teams receive top seeds and potentially easier group opponents. This creates strategic importance for ranking positions even months before tournaments begin.
Qualifying Campaign Effects
World Cup and continental qualifier draws also use rankings for seeding. A higher ranking typically means avoiding other strong teams in the group stage, providing a more favorable path to qualification. This explains why national teams often schedule strategically important friendlies to maximize ranking points.
FIFA Ranking FAQ
The FIFA World Ranking is typically updated once per month, usually after international match windows. Updates
are published on FIFA's official website and reflect results from all internationally recognized matches played since
the previous update. The exact schedule can vary depending on the international calendar.
All full international "A" matches between FIFA member associations count towards the ranking. This includes World
Cup finals and qualifiers, continental championships and their qualifiers, and official friendly internationals. Youth team
matches, futsal, and beach soccer do not affect the ranking.
The current system uses an Elo-based formula: P = P_before + I × (W - W_e) × C, where P is the new rating, I is
match importance, W is the actual result (1 for win, 0.5 for draw, 0 for loss), W_e is the expected result based on current
ratings, and C is a coefficient based on goal margin. Higher-ranked teams are expected to beat lower-ranked opponents,
so upsets generate larger point swings.
Rankings determine seeding for World Cup qualifying draws. Higher-ranked teams are placed in top pots, reducing
the chance of facing other strong nations in the group stage. This can significantly impact a team's path to qualification,
making ranking improvements strategically valuable even from friendly matches.
Yes. If a team plays fewer matches than others during a period, or if their older results "expire" (results
decay after four years), their total points can decrease even without losses. Additionally, if expected results aren't
achieved (like drawing against a much lower-ranked team), points gained may be minimal.
While FIFA ranks individual nations, the average ranking of teams from each confederation provides an informal
indicator of confederation strength. UEFA (Europe) and CONMEBOL (South America) historically have the highest average
rankings, followed by CONCACAF, CAF, AFC, and OFC.
FIFA rankings apply to national teams, while UEFA club coefficients (and similar systems) apply to clubs.
Club coefficients are based on performance in continental club competitions and determine Champions League and
Europa League seedings and qualification spots.