Bafana Rise Up One Spot Up In FIFA World Rankings
Bafana Bafana’s underwhelming Africa Cup of Nations campaign has seen them move up one place in the latest FIFA world rankings released on Monday night.
South Africa were eliminated in the AFCON round of 16 by Cameroon, a result that caused widespread disappointment back home as attention now turns to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in June.
Despite failing to reach the quarter-finals, Bafana climbed one spot in the rankings, moving from 61st to 60th compared to their position before the tournament.
Cameroon, who knocked South Africa out of the competition, were the biggest movers in the rankings, climbing 12 places.
AFCON finalists Morocco, who lost a dramatic final to Senegal on home soil, have risen to eighth in the world rankings.
The newly crowned AFCON champions, Senegal’s Teranga Lions, moved up seven places to 12th, essentially swapping positions with Morocco, which was in 11th place.
Spain, winners of last year’s UEFA European Championship, remain the world’s top-ranked team after claiming the top spot a few months ago, overtaking reigning World Cup champions Argentina.
The next FIFA World Rankings update will be released on 1 April, following the FIFA Series and international friendly matches scheduled for March.
