2 min readUpdated: Jul 21, 2026 12:16 PM IST
The FIFA World team rankings have been rejigged at the end of the 2026 World Cup, with new champions Spain dethroning Argentina with their 1-0 win in the final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
La Roja stormed to their second World Cup title after 16 years on the back of a 106th-minute strike from Ferran Torres, breaking Argentina’s hold on the trophy. Lionel Messi’s side thereby slid by a spot on the rankings, down to two, while France, who finished fourth at the World Cup, retained the No. 3 spot. England, who clinched the bronze medal match, beating France 6-4, held onto their fourth spot.
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Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal slipped out of the top five down to seventh while five-time World Cup champions moved up a rung to No. 5.
Building on their historic semifinal run at Qatar 2022, Morocco surged to a program-best sixth in the global rankings. The Atlas Lions carried that momentum into the 2026 World Cup, eliminating the Netherlands on penalties in the Round of 32 before their journey came to an end against France in the quarterfinals.
Four-time world champions Germany dropped out from the 10th, down to 12th after a lacklustre World Cup campaign ended with a Round of 32 defeat to Paraguay on penalties.
| Rank (Movement) | Team |
| 1 (+1) | Spain |
| 2 (-1) | Argentina |
| 3 | France |
| 4 | England |
| 5 (+1) | Brazil |
| 6 (+1) | Morocco |
| 7 (-2) | Portugal |
| 8 (+1) | Belgium |
| 9 (-1) | Netherlands |
| 10 (+4) | Mexico |
| 11 (+2) | Colombia |
| 12 (-2) | Germany |
| 13 (-2) | Croatia |
| 14 (+5) | Switzerland |
| 15 (-3) | Italy |
| 16 (+1) | USA |
| 17 (+1) | Japan |
| 18 (-3) | Senegal |
| 19 (+12) | Norway |
| 20 (-4) | Uruguay |
Norway biggest movers after WC
Erling Haaland’s Norway, who qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, and moved up until the quarter-finals where they lost 1-2 to England were the biggest movers in the world rankings. The Norweigians vaulted 12 spots up to No. 19 on the list, with World Cup co-hosts Mexico and Switzerland also jumping five spots on the table.
