Spain reach no.1 in FIFA rankings after World Cup triumph as Norway surge

Newly crowned FIFA World Cup champions Spain have moved to the top of the latest FIFA World Rankings, released on Monday.

Spain secured their second World Cup title after defeating Argentina 1-0 after extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal eight minutes before the final whistle.

The historic victory propelled Spain national team to the No.1 position in the global rankings, with La Roja overtaking Argentina by 25 points. Their performance in the final alone earned Spain an additional 30 ranking points, helping them claim the summit of world football.

Major Changes Inside the FIFA Top 10

While Spain climbed to first place, France and England remained in third and fourth positions respectively.

Brazil moved into fifth place, while Morocco climbed to sixth — their highest-ever position in FIFA’s ranking history following another impressive period on the international stage.

Portugal slipped two places to seventh, while Belgium moved up one position to eighth after reaching the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.

The Netherlands dropped one place to ninth, while Mexico completed the top 10 after gaining four positions. It marks Mexico’s return to the FIFA top 10 for the first time since March 2022.

Norway Make Biggest Ranking Rise

The biggest movers in the latest rankings were Norway, who climbed 12 places to reach 19th — their highest position since August 2011.

The rise came after Norway reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since their appearance at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Their strong tournament performance significantly boosted their position among the world’s elite teams.

Former Champions Germany Continue to Slide

Former World Cup winners Germany experienced another setback, dropping two places to 11th after a disappointing tournament exit against Paraguay in the round of 32.

Germany’s struggles in the FIFA rankings have continued since their dramatic fall following the 2018 FIFA World Cup, when they dropped from first place to 16th. Despite briefly returning to the top 10, they have spent only ten months among the world’s ten highest-ranked teams since that tournament.

Germany are expected to appoint former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp as their new national team coach as they look to rebuild ahead of future competitions.

Biggest Movers Around the World

Behind Germany, Croatia also dropped two places following an underwhelming World Cup campaign, while Switzerland climbed five spots after reaching the quarter-finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Italy remain the highest-ranked nation that failed to qualify for the World Cup, sitting in 15th place — one position ahead of tournament hosts USA.

Following their best-ever World Cup performance, Egypt climbed five places to 24th, while Turkey dropped five positions to 27th after a disappointing tournament.

Other notable changes included South Korea, who fell seven places to 32nd after a group-stage exit, while Paraguay moved up seven places to 34th following their impressive World Cup run.

The biggest fall came from Tunisia, who dropped 12 places and now sit 57th in the FIFA rankings.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Rankings Impact

The 2026 FIFA World Cup was held from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The expanded tournament featured 48 national teams, with Spain lifting the trophy after defeating Argentina in the final.

Explore more:

• FIFA World Cup 2026 fixtures and results
• World Cup group standings and knockout bracket
• FIFA World Cup winners history
• World Cup Team of the Tournament
• 2030 FIFA World Cup

Other Major Ranking Changes

Among other World Cup nations, several teams experienced significant movement:

• DR Congo – 41st (+5)
• Panama – 44th (-10)
• Czech Republic – 48th (-8)
• South Africa – 54th (+6)
• Uzbekistan – 60th (-10)
• Iraq – 63rd (-6)
• Ghana – 65th (+8)
• Jordan – 73rd (-10)
• Haiti – 88th (-5)

The latest FIFA rankings highlight the impact of the World Cup on international football, with Spain returning to the top, Norway emerging as one of the biggest success stories, and several established powers facing challenges after disappointing campaigns.