Despite winning a record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco, Nigeria’s Super Falcons have remained unmoved in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking, holding steady at 36th globally.
The rankings, released on Thursday, 7 August, show that Nigeria, while reaffirming its dominance on the African continent, has yet to translate continental success into improved global positioning.
The Falcons gained widespread acclaim last month after a triumphant WAFCON campaign in which they overcame tough opposition from Zambia, South Africa, and hosts Morocco. However, their total points of 1630.83 were insufficient to break into the world’s top 30, or to near their best-ever ranking of 25th, attained more than 20 years ago.
The development has sparked conversations about what more the team must do to improve their global standing, even as they continue to rule African football.
“We are proud of the Super Falcons’ consistency and what they have achieved in Africa,” said a Nigerian Football Federation official who spoke on condition of anonymity. “But this ranking shows that we must do more globally — play tougher teams, travel more, and invest better.”
Nigeria continues to lead the continent, ranked above South Africa (54th), Morocco (64th), and Zambia (65th). The latest ranking update underscores not only Nigeria’s continued superiority but also the narrowing margins in African women’s football, with rivals steadily closing in.
Globally, the August update saw major shifts. Spain reclaimed the number one spot after a commanding UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 performance, overtaking the United States. France jumped to sixth, while Brazil, despite retaining its South American title, fell to seventh.
Bangladesh was the biggest climber, leaping 24 places to 104th after a historic qualification run in the AFC Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s global ranking has seen only marginal changes over the last decade. The team peaked at 32nd in 2023 but dropped as low as 45th in 2022.
Observers believe that to return to the top tier, the Falcons must seek more competitive fixtures against top-ranked nations.
The next FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking update is scheduled for 11 December 2025.
