14th March, 2013
Despite winning the 2013 African Cup of Nations, AFCON in South Africa, the Super Eagles didn’t move a step upward as they maintained their previous 30th position in the FIFA/COCA World Ranking released early today.
Football pundits had expected a rise for the reigning African champions but they remained static with 775 points on the world ranking and also maintained their fourth position on the African continent behind Cote D’Ivoire, who they defeated in the semi-final of the AFCON. The Ivorians have 1022 points and are 13th on the world ranking.
Ghana, who finished fourth at the AFCON are second in Africa with 883 points and occupy 20th position in the world, while Mali, who came third at the AFCON moved up a place and are now third with 815 points and 24th in the world.
There were also no movements in the top six of the world ranking, as reigning world and European champions, Spain remained unshaken as they maintained their top spot with 1610 points, Germany are second with 1473 points. In the third position are Argentina with 1309 points.England are fourth with 1174 points. Italy are fifth with 1173 points, while Columbia occupy the sixth position with 1159 points.
Monthly Africa football rankings released Thursday by FIFA (Africa ranking, world ranking):
Ivory Coast 1 13
Ghana 2 20
Mali 3 24
Nigeria 4 30
Algeria 5 34
Zambia 6 36
Tunisia 7 44
Burkina Faso 8 50
Central African Republic 9 52
Cape Verde Islands 10 57
South Africa 11 60
Sierra Leone 12 63
Libya 13 65
Togo 14 67
Guinea 15 72
Egypt 16 75
Gabon 17 75
Morocco 18 77
Cameroon 19 79
Democratic Republic of Congo 20 81
Senegal 21 82
Uganda 22 85
Benin 23 86
Niger 24 93
Angola 25 95
Zimbabwe 26 100
Congo Brazzaville 27 101
Equatorial Guinea 28 104
Mozambique 29 107
Malawi 30 111
Ethiopia 31 112
Liberia 32 118
Tanzania 33 119
Namibia 34 121
Botswana 35 122
Burundi 36 124
Kenya 37 126
Sudan 38 127
Rwanda 39 132
Gambia 40 144
Sao Tome e Principe 41 156
Chad 42 162
Lesotho 43 166
Mauritania 44 172
Guinea-Bissau 45 183
Swaziland 46 183
Madagascar 47 188
Mauritius 48 189
Comoros Islands 49 192
Eritrea 50 197
Seychelles 51 198
South Sudan 52 200
Somalia 53 203
Djibouti 54 204
Next rankings: April 11
—Adebobola Alawode