Spain have reclaimed the top spot in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings after winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending Argentina’s reign as the world’s highest-ranked team. The updated rankings reward Spain’s impressive campaign, which concluded with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in the World Cup final on July 19. The achievement marks Spain’s return to the top of the rankings for the first time since January and strengthens their status following their UEFA Euro 2024 title.
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Spain now lead the rankings with 1,995 points, holding a 25-point advantage over second-placed Argentina, which dropped to 1,970 points after finishing as World Cup runners-up. France remained third with 1,948 points despite losing the third-place playoff to England, while England stayed fourth. Meanwhile, Brazil climbed to fifth, Morocco reached a record-high sixth place, Portugal slipped to seventh, Belgium rose to eighth, the Netherlands fell to ninth, and Mexico entered the top 10 after an impressive tournament on home soil.
FIFA also released the official final standings for the 2026 World Cup, which differ from the overall world rankings. Spain finished as world champions ahead of Argentina, while England secured third place by defeating France in the playoff. Norway emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest surprise performers by finishing fifth, followed by Belgium in sixth. Morocco and Switzerland shared seventh place, while Mexico completed the top 10 alongside Colombia.
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Several nations recorded significant movement in the updated rankings following their World Cup performances. Norway achieved the biggest rise by climbing 12 places to 19th after reaching the quarter-finals, while Switzerland moved up five positions and Mexico gained four places. On the other hand, Türkiye dropped five places after a disappointing campaign, and Tunisia suffered the largest decline, falling 12 positions to 57th after losing all three group-stage matches.
The latest rankings will play an important role in determining seedings for future World Cup qualifiers and other major international competitions. Spain’s remarkable success in winning both the UEFA European Championship in 2024 and the 2026 FIFA World Cup within two years has firmly established La Roja as the world’s highest-ranked men’s national football team. The rankings also highlight the growing competitiveness of international football as several emerging nations continue to make significant progress on the global stage.