The latest FIFA rankings have seen the Canadian men’s team drop two positions to No. 29, despite not engaging in Tier 1 international matches recently. The shift in rankings was influenced by Nigeria climbing 12 spots to No. 26 and Algeria moving up six places to 28th following their performances in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Canada’s lone match since the previous rankings was a 1-0 victory over Guatemala in a B international game, which did not impact their FIFA standing.
No changes occurred in the top seven rankings, with Spain leading ahead of Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Morocco entered the top 10, reaching an all-time high of No. 8, while Belgium, Germany, and Croatia each dropped one spot. Senegal, the winner of AFCON, rose seven places to No. 12, and Equatorial Guinea experienced the most significant drop, falling 10 positions to No. 107.
Among CONCACAF teams, the U.S. and Mexico each slipped one place to No. 15 and No. 16, respectively. Canada sits ahead of Panama (33rd, down three) and Costa Rica (51st, down two) in the rankings. Uzbekistan, Canada’s upcoming opponent in a friendly on June 1, also dropped two spots to No. 52.
In upcoming fixtures, Canada is set to face Tunisia (No. 47, down six) and Iceland (No. 74, unchanged) in the March international window. At the World Cup this summer, Canada will compete in Group B against Switzerland (No. 18, down one) and Qatar (No. 56, down two), with the final team in their group coming from a European playoff involving Italy, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Canada achieved its highest-ever ranking of No. 26 in September and had previously been as low as No. 122 in 2014.