Morocco move closer to FIFA top five after Brazil’s Japan defeat

Morocco have climbed to sixth in the FIFA men’s world ranking after Brazil’s surprise defeat by Japan opened the door for the Atlas Lions to move closer to the top five.

The rise follows Morocco’s 5-0 victory over Niger on Friday in the third round of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. That result lifted the North African side one place to sixth with 1,805 points.

Brazil’s 3-0 loss to Japan also worked in Morocco’s favour, with the South American giants dropping to seventh on 1,800 points.

Morocco now have another chance to strengthen their position when they face Niger again on Tuesday at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium. Mohamed Ouahbi’s side would improve their ranking with another win and would no longer need to rely on the result of Brazil’s friendly against Singapore.

Morocco’s attention will also be focused on Portugal’s meeting with Denmark tonight in the fifth and penultimate round of the UEFA Nations League group stage.

Only half a point currently separates Morocco and Portugal in the FIFA ranking, meaning the outcome of that match could directly affect their positions in the next update.

A failure by Portugal to win would see them fall to sixth, while Morocco would rise to fifth and secure a place among the five highest-ranked teams in the world.

Morocco’s rise since Qatar 2022

Morocco reached fifth in the FIFA men’s world ranking in October 2026, matching Nigeria’s record for the highest position achieved by an African team. Nigeria first reached that position in April 1994.

The latest progress came after Morocco won their opening two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Gabon and Lesotho in September and October.

Before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Morocco were ranked 22nd in the world. Their run at the tournament lifted them to 11th by its conclusion.

The Atlas Lions later slipped to 14th, where they ended 2024, before recovering to finish 2025 in 11th place. They then climbed to eighth in January 2026.

That was Morocco’s first return to the top 10 since April 1998, when they were ranked 10th. Their latest move to sixth has put them within touching distance of a place in the world’s top five, with Portugal’s result against Denmark now potentially decisive.