Despite not qualifying from the group stage of the 2016 African Nations Championship, Nigeria's Super Eagles gained a marginal three spots lift to the 63rd position globally in the January FIFA Rankings released yesterday.
The improved rating also reflected in the continental standings with Nigeria moving up to the 12th place in African rankings. Eagles ended 2015 in the 66th worldwide and 14th in Africa.
The CHAN 2016 victory against Niger and the draw with Tunisia in Rwanda contributed to the marginal movement. The win and a draw in the international friendlies with Cote d'Ivoire and Angola in pre-CHAN 2016 warm-up also counted in Nigeria's favour. Nigeria's AFCON 2017 rivals Egypt are now 55th in the world and eighth in Africa.
The Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire remain the best team in the continent with Cape Verde, Algeria, Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, Congo, Egypt, Congo DR and Guinea occupying the top ten places in Africa.
The FIFA rankings are expected to be one of the things to consider when the draw for the final round of the qualifying tournament for the 2018 World Cup is done in June.
Teams will be drawn in five groups to play on home and away basis with the overall group winners qualifying for the World Cup in Russia. The top five countries, in descending order in the World rankings are Belgium, Argentina, Spain, Germany and Chile. Brazil, Portugal, Colombia, England and Austria completed the global top ten football powers.