National Teams
FIFA Rankings: Super Falcons end 2023 in 34th position, still remain Africa best
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria’s senior women’s national team dropped two places on the last FIFA rankings released for 2023 on Thursday after the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Qualifiers.
The nine-time African champions dropped from the previous 32nd position to the 34th, having risen eight places from the rankings released earlier in September.
The decline comes after the Nigerians made an impressive outing in four games following two-legged clashes with Ethiopia and Cape Verde in Paris Olympic and WAFCON Qualifiers, respectively winning three and drawing one.
The Super Falcons recorded a 5-1 aggregate win over Ethiopia in the Olympic Qualifiers and 7-1 aggregate win against Cape Verde to seal WAFCON 2024 Qualifying process.
Justin Madugu’s side has now ended 2023 as the top ranked women’s football team in Africa coming just few days after winning the 2023 CAF Women’s Team of the Year award at the 2023 CAF Awards in Morocco.
Nine out of the top ten ranked women’s teamd in Africa dropped points in the last ranking for the year.
Second-placed South Africa dropped seven places to 52nd while third positioned Morocco came down two places to the 60th spot in the world.
Mali is the only African team in the top ten that moved a place from 82nd to 81st position.
Ghana dropped two places to 61st and fourth in Africa as Cameroon had the most drop in Africa’s top ten dropping 12 places to 68th.
Zambia (70th), Ivory Coast (71st), Tunisia (77th), and Equatorial Guinea (82nd) completed the top ten ranked women’s teams in Africa, while Central African Republic entered the ranking for the first time ever in their history.
The next ranking is expected to be released in March 2024 with Olympic Qualifiers ahead.
Africa top 10 ranked women’s football teams for Dcemeber 2023
- Nigeria
- South Africa
- Morocco
- Ghana
- Cameroon
- Zambia
- Ivory Coast
- Tunisia
- Mali
- Equatorial Guinea
