Super Falcons Slide to 43rd in FIFA Ranking After WAFCON Disappointment

Posted : 20 October 2026

Nigeria’s Super Falcons have suffered a seven-place drop in the latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking, falling from 36th to 43rd following their disappointing outing at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The ranking update, released on Tuesday, October 20, highlights the impact of Nigeria’s underwhelming campaign in Morocco, where the 10-time African champions failed to reach the semi-finals for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Despite entering the competition as Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national team, the Falcons struggled to meet expectations, raising fresh concerns about their competitive standing ahead of future international assignments.

Nigeria opened their campaign with a 3-2 defeat to Malawi before recovering with a 1-0 victory over Zambia and a convincing 6-2 triumph against Egypt to advance from the group stage.

However, their progress ended in the quarter-finals following a 1-0 loss to Cameroon, denying them the opportunity to challenge for the continental crown.

The team subsequently suffered another setback against South Africa in the classification stage, compounding the disappointment of their tournament performance.

The latest decline also recalls Nigeria’s difficult ranking period in August 2022, when the team lost 69.33 points and dropped seven places from 39th to 46th under then-head coach Randy Waldrum.

The consequences of the recent struggles have extended beyond the continental championship, with Nigeria also losing 2-1 to South Africa in the playoff for a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The defeat has left the Falcons facing the prospect of missing the global competition for the first time, adding to concerns over the direction of the national team.

In response to the disappointing results, the Nigeria Football Federation dismissed head coach Justine Madugu and his technical crew while announcing plans to establish a task force to examine the team’s performance.

Despite their fall in the global standings, Nigeria retained their position as Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national team in the latest ranking update, according to the positions provided in the report.

South Africa dropped two places to 59th globally, while Cameroon climbed nine places to 62nd following their progress at WAFCON.

Morocco occupied 64th position, with Ghana and Zambia ranked 65th and 70th, respectively, after each fell five places.

Côte d’Ivoire, Algeria, Senegal, and Mali completed the reported top 10 teams in Africa, reflecting the depth of competition among the continent’s leading women’s football nations.

The Falcons had earlier recorded victories over Comoros in their two-legged Olympic qualifying tie, but those results did not prevent their overall ranking decline following the latest assessment of international performances.

Globally, Spain retained the top position, ahead of the United States, Germany, England, and Japan. France, Brazil, Sweden, Canada, and Denmark completed the reported top 10.

With Nigeria’s continental supremacy increasingly challenged by improving rivals, the latest ranking places renewed emphasis on rebuilding the team, strengthening its technical structure, and delivering more consistent performances in upcoming international fixtures.

Super Falcons Slide to 43rd in FIFA Ranking After WAFCON Disappointment

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