FIFA ranking: Belgium stay top, Kosovo reach record high
Belgium remain top of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking after an action-packed number of weeks in international football which saw 78 friendlies, 74 continental qualifiers and 60 FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ qualifiers take place.
Although the teams in the top ten remain unchanged, there has been some movement. France (2nd, up 1) and Brazil (3rd, down 1) have traded places, while Spain (7th, up 2) are the top ten’s biggest movers.
The Cayman Islands (193rd, up 11) and Grenada (160th, up 13) are the joint-biggest climbers by points, reaping the rewards after their successful showing in the Concacaf Nations League. Indeed, Grenada’s 13-place surge means that they are September’s highest climber by ranks.
Other notable upwardly mobile nations include Jamaica (47th, up 5), who have broken into the top 50, the Republic of Ireland (28th, up 4), Russia (42nd, up 4), Guatemala (133rd, up 11), Suriname (142nd, up 9), Montserrat (187th, up 9) and Djibouti (186th, up 9), who recently overcame Eswatini (150th, down 11) over two legs to advance to the second round of African World Cup qualifying for just the second time.
Meanwhile, Kosovo (119th, up 1) have been rewarded for their impressive performances in UEFA EURO 2020 qualifying by reaching their best-ever position in the FIFA ranking.
The Cook Islands are not ranked in the latest standings due to not playing an international “A” match in the last four years. After their next international “A” match, they will be included in the ranking table again with their points total from July 2019, plus/minus the points won or lost in the new match.
The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 24 October 2019.
Leader Belgium (unchanged)
Moves into top 10 none
Moves out of top 10 none
Matches played in total 212
Most matches played Iraq (7 matches)
Biggest move by points Cayman Islands, Grenada (up 28 points each)
Biggest move by ranks Grenada (up 13 ranks)
Biggest drop by points Chinese Taipei (down 25 points)
Biggest drop by ranks Eswatini, Nicaragua (down 11 ranks each)
Newly ranked teams none
Teams that are no longer ranked none
Inactive teams, not ranked Cook Islands
