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Morocco have risen to fifth place in the latest live FIFA men’s world rankings, equaling the highest position ever achieved by an African national team, a record previously set by Nigeria in 1994.
The Atlas Lions overtook Brazil after the five-time world champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Australia in an international friendly on Friday, with the result costing Brazil points in the standings and allowing Morocco to move to fifth in the live rankings. Project reports
This development represents another significant milestone for Moroccan football, which has continued to grow on the world stage in recent years.
However, the position is not official at the moment. The FIFA website states that the live ranking remains subject to all matches being approved as international ‘A’ matches, while the latest official ranking was published on 20 July. FIFA has scheduled the next official ranking update for October 7th.
Morocco reaches historic levels
Morocco’s move to fifth place represents their highest position ever in the FIFA men’s world rankings.
FIFA’s historical records show that the North African team had already set a new national record in recent years, climbing steadily from 11th place at the end of 2025 to sixth in the latest official ranking published in July 2026.
The latest live move now takes them one place higher, putting Morocco alongside Nigeria as the only African nations to have reached fifth place in the FIFA men’s rankings.
This development is another reflection of the transformation of Moroccan football, particularly following the Atlas Lions’ historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Brazil’s draw opens the door
Morocco’s climb to fifth place was helped by Brazil’s 1-1 draw against Australia.
Brazil occupied fifth place in the FIFA rankings before the match, but the draw reduced their ranking points to sixth place in the live rankings.
According to the latest calculations reported after the match, Brazil dropped to 1,802.90 points, allowing Morocco to precede them.
The change illustrates how FIFA’s ranking system can be affected by individual international results, particularly when teams placed close together in the league table gain or lose points.
For Morocco, this development represents further recognition of the progress made by the national team in recent years.
Nigeria established the African benchmark in 1994
Before Morocco’s latest rise, Nigeria held the record of being the only African men’s national team to reach fifth place in the FIFA rankings.
The Super Eagles achieved the historic position in 1994, following a remarkable period in which Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations and made their FIFA World Cup debut in the same year.
The current FIFA historical profile for Nigeria stands at fifth as the country’s highest ever ranking, with the Super Eagles’ current official position considerably lower at 26th.
The 1994 Nigerian generation included players such as Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh, Finidi George, Jay-Jay Okocha and Emmanuel Amunike.
The team won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia before reaching the round of 16 of the World Cup in the United States, where Nigeria narrowly lost 2-1 to eventual finalists Italy in extra time.
That combination of continental success and an impressive World Cup debut lifted Nigeria to fifth place in the world.
Morocco’s growth continues
Morocco’s latest result builds on a sustained period of progress for the Atlas Lions.
The country became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup when it reached the semi-finals in Qatar in 2022.
Morocco defeated Belgium, Spain and Portugal during that season before losing to France in the semi-finals. They eventually finished fourth after losing the third place play-off against Croatia.
The result significantly raised Morocco’s profile in international football and helped establish the team among the continent’s leading teams.
Morocco subsequently continued to maintain a high position in the FIFA rankings, reaching sixth place before ultimately moving up to fifth. Historical FIFA data records Morocco’s rise from 28th in 2021 to 11th in 2022, 13th in 2023, 14th in 2024 and 11th in 2025.
Strong African representation
Morocco’s move also comes at a time when several African teams have improved their positions in the world rankings.
The Atlas Lions’ rise was accompanied by strong performances from other major African teams, including Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria.
Morocco also continued to perform well in continental football, while its national football infrastructure and investment in youth development received increasing attention.
The country recently hosted the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, with FIFA highlighting Morocco’s growing role in major football competitions.
Meanwhile, the men’s national team has maintained its status as one of Africa’s leading teams ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The official ranking is yet to arrive
Despite the importance of the development, Morocco’s fifth place should currently be described as a live or unofficial ranking rather than the latest official FIFA ranking.
FIFA explicitly states that its live ranking will not be official until all relevant matches have been approved as international “A” matches.
The governing body’s website still identifies July 20 as the date of the last official men’s ranking, when Morocco was sixth and Brazil fifth. The next official update is scheduled for October 7th.
This distinction is important because further international results between now and the official publication could change the positions.
However, the living movement has already placed Morocco on a historic level.
A record shared by two African nations
If Morocco maintains fifth place when FIFA releases its next official ranking, it will formally equal Nigeria’s long-standing African record.
Nigeria’s success in 1994 came during one of the most celebrated periods in African football history, while Morocco’s rise followed its breakthrough on the world stage three decades later.
The two nations would therefore share the distinction of being the only African men’s teams to have reached fifth place in the FIFA world rankings.
For Morocco, the result provides another statistical indicator of its emergence as a major force in international football.
For Nigeria, whose 1994 generation set the continental benchmark, the development serves as a reminder of the historic heights previously achieved by the Super Eagles.
With the next official FIFA ranking scheduled for October 7, attention will now turn to whether Morocco can retain fifth place and formally join Nigeria at the top of Africa’s historic FIFA ranking results.
