Nigeria’s Super Falcons have dropped seven places in the latest FIFA women’s world rankings but remain the highest-ranked national team in Africa.

The latest rankings, released on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, saw the 10-time African champions fall from 36th to 43rd position globally following a difficult period in international competition.

Despite the decline, Nigeria maintained its position at the top of the African rankings, remaining ahead of South Africa, Morocco, Ghana and Zambia, who occupy the second, third, fourth and fifth positions on the continent, respectively.

The drop in Nigeria’s global standing comes after a disappointing campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), held in Morocco, where the Super Falcons failed to progress beyond the quarter-final stage.

Nigeria’s tournament ended in disappointment after defeats involving Malawi and Cameroon, results that affected the team’s momentum during the competition. The performance represented a setback for the African champions as they sought to maintain their standing among the leading women’s national teams internationally.

The Super Falcons also suffered a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in the playoffs for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The loss added to a challenging period for the Nigerian side and further highlighted the mixed results that have characterised their recent outings.

However, Nigeria have also recorded positive results during the period under review. The team secured two victories over Comoros in the qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games, providing a measure of encouragement amid their recent setbacks.

Although those wins demonstrated the team's ability to respond positively, Nigeria's position in the latest FIFA rankings reflects the overall outcome of their performances during the ranking period.

Despite losing seven places globally, the Super Falcons have retained their continental lead, keeping Nigeria ahead of their closest African challengers. South Africa occupy second place, followed by Morocco, Ghana and Zambia in the continental standings.

Maintaining the top position in Africa remains a significant point for Nigeria, particularly as the team continues its efforts to compete at the highest level of women's international football. Nevertheless, the fall in the global rankings gives the Super Falcons a clear target as they look to improve their standing in subsequent updates.

At the global level, the top five teams remained unchanged in the latest edition. Spain retained first place, with the United States in second position, Germany third, England fourth and Japan fifth.

The unchanged order among the leading teams contrasts with Nigeria's movement down the rankings, underlining the different trajectories of national sides during the latest assessment period.

For the Super Falcons, attention will now turn to future international fixtures and opportunities to strengthen their position. Their victories over Comoros provide a positive result to build on, while the disappointments at WAFCON and in the World Cup playoffs remain important setbacks from the period.

The next FIFA women's world rankings are scheduled to be released on Monday, December 7, 2026. Nigeria will hope to produce stronger results before then and improve their global position while defending their status as Africa's top-ranked women's national team.