FIFA has officially released the final rankings of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, one day after Spain defeated Argentina (1-0) in the final to lift the trophy. Following a historic tournament hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, all 48 participating nations now know their final positions.
Spain on top, Argentina and England complete the podium
Spain finished at the top of the standings after securing a narrow victory over Argentina in the final. The triumph earned La Roja their second World Cup title, with the reigning champions ending the tournament as runners-up.
England claimed third place after a thrilling 6-4 victory over France in the bronze medal match. The Three Lions completed the podium, while Les Bleus finished fourth, ahead of surprise package Norway, who secured an impressive fifth-place finish.
Morocco leads Africa’s strong showing
Among the nine African teams that competed at the tournament, Morocco recorded the continent’s best performance, finishing seventh after reaching the quarter-finals.
Egypt also impressed by finishing 15th, confirming their return among Africa’s top football nations. Côte d’Ivoire (19th), DR Congo (23rd), Ghana (24th), South Africa (26th), Algeria (30th), Senegal (31st) and Cape Verde (32nd) complete the African ranking.
Cape Verde also made history during its first-ever World Cup appearance, reaching the round of 32 and making a memorable debut on the global stage.
FIFA ranking criteria
To determine the final standings, FIFA used several criteria when teams were eliminated at the same stage of the competition:
- Total points collected throughout the tournament (matches decided by penalties counted as draws);
- Goal difference;
- Goals scored.
If teams remained level after these criteria, they shared the same ranking position.
Final FIFA World Cup 2026 Ranking
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- 🏴 England
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- 🇲🇦 Morocco
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇨🇴 Colombia
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇺🇸 United States
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- 🇪🇬 Egypt
- 🇵🇾 Paraguay
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire
- 🇭🇷 Croatia
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇨🇩 DR Congo
- 🇬🇭 Ghana
- 🇪🇨 Ecuador
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- 🇦🇹 Austria
- 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
- 🇩🇿 Algeria
- 🇸🇳 Senegal
- 🇨🇻 Cape Verde
- 🇮🇷 Iran
- 🇰🇷 South Korea
- 🇹🇷 Turkey
- 🏴 Scotland
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
- 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
- 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 🇶🇦 Qatar
- 🇨🇼 Curaçao
- 🇵🇦 Panama
- 🇯🇴 Jordan
- 🇭🇹 Haiti
- 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
- 🇹🇳 Tunisia
- 🇮🇶 Iraq
A historic World Cup in many ways
The 2026 World Cup will go down as a landmark edition, featuring several major milestones, including a record 308 goals scored, the first tournament expanded to 48 teams, and Spain’s second world title. The final ranking also highlights the growing competitiveness of African football and the increasing balance among football nations worldwide.
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