Spain Tops FIFA Women’s World Cup Rankings, England Remains Fourth

Women’s World Cup winners Spain have reached the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time, while England maintains its position at fourth place.

Spain Defeats England in World Cup Final

Spain emerged victorious in the World Cup final against England with a score of 1-0, securing their place as the fourth team to hold the top spot in the rankings.

Previous leaders Sweden have dropped to fifth place, while the USA has moved up one spot to second and France has climbed two spots to third.

Scotland has slid two places to 25th, Wales has dropped three spots to 32nd, and Northern Ireland currently sits at 46th in the rankings.

Consistency in the Top 10

Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan have maintained their positions in sixth, seventh, and eighth place respectively. North Korea is ranked ninth, and Canada completes the top 10.

Brazil, who failed to advance from the group stage in this year’s World Cup for the first time since 1995, has dropped two places to 11th and is no longer in the top 10.

Expansion of Rankings

The women’s game has gained significant attention on the international stage, leading to the inclusion of two nations for the first time in the rankings. With 419 matches played since the previous update in August, the list now features a record 192 nations, and it is expected to grow further in the next update in March.

Central African Republic has entered the rankings at 145th place, while Macau has made its debut at 173rd. Additionally, North Korea, American Samoa, Madagascar, and Bahamas have reappeared in the rankings.

North Korea had previously dropped out of the rankings due to a lack of international games during the Covid pandemic. However, they returned to action in September 2023 and have since won 10 out of their 12 fixtures.

In terms of rankings, Namibia has made the biggest climb, moving up 14 places to 126th, while Tanzania has seen the largest increase in points, rising by 68.24 to 146th.