African champions, the Nigeria Super Falcons, have retained their status as the No. 1 women’s football team on the continent despite dropping points in the latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking released on Thursday, 11 December 2025.

Nigeria, winners of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), sit 37th globally, one spot lower than their previous 36th-place ranking. The Falcons recorded a deduction of 23.77 points but remain unshaken as Africa’s highest-ranked team and continue to set the standard across the continent.

Since the last ranking four months ago, Nigeria played two crucial 2026 WAFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic, securing a 2–0 win away before being held to a 1–1 draw at home. The results ensured a 3–1 aggregate qualification, though the team did not feature in the most recent FIFA international window.

South Africa follows as Africa’s second-best side, sitting 55th globally after dropping one spot. Ghana climb to third on the continent at 62nd, while Zambia (64th), Morocco (66th), and Cameroon (70th) complete the top five. The rest of Africa’s top ten includes Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal showcasing the rising competition within the region.

There were mixed fortunes across Africa: Mali (85th) and Egypt (101st) both fell six spots, while Cameroon slipped four. Kenya climbed to 133rd globally, now 21st in Africa. Chad and Libya entered the FIFA rankings for the first time after participating in the FIFA United Women’s Series, bringing the total number of ranked women’s national teams to a record 198.

Globally, world champions Spain remain firmly on top after lifting the UEFA Women’s Nations League trophy. The United States hold second place, while Germany move up two spots to third. England sit fourth, followed by Sweden, Brazil, and France.