Earlier this month, a total of 165 international matches took place, featuring FIFA World Cup 26™ qualifiers, preliminary rounds of continental competitions, and Concacaf Nations League clashes. These matches left a significant mark on the latest edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
Despite the action, the top three positions remain unchanged. Argentina holds the top spot with a comfortable lead of 8.18 points over second-placed France. Meanwhile, France has solidified their position in second place, now with a gap of 40.91 points between them and third-placed Brazil. Following a 1-1 draw at home against Venezuela and a 2-0 defeat against Uruguay, Brazil is now facing pressure from England in fourth place. Belgium remains in fifth but is being closely watched by a resurgent Portugal in sixth place, having climbed two positions. Spain has also made progress, moving up two spots to eighth place and closing in on seventh-placed Netherlands. Italy and Croatia hold the ninth and tenth positions, respectively, with Croatia dropping four places but still securing a spot in the top ten despite recent setbacks.
Venezuela, the only CONMEBOL country yet to reach the FIFA World Cup™, has made significant strides, currently sitting in fourth place in the qualifiers for the 2026 edition, climbing four places to 49th overall. Their strong performance in continental matches has propelled them back into the top 50, displacing Côte d’Ivoire, who now stand at 52nd place, dropping two positions. Wales and Türkiye are also enjoying positive momentum, moving up five places to 28th and 38th, respectively. Belarus has re-entered the top 100 at 100th place, climbing five spots, while Slovenia has also risen by five places to 54th.
The most notable movements in the rankings, however, can be seen further down. Kosovo has achieved a historic milestone, jumping six places to their highest-ever position at 105th. Bangladesh is also on the upswing, rising by six positions to 183rd. The most impressive gainers of all are Lithuania, surging by nine places to 134th.
