Portugal Slips in FIFA Rankings as New Leader Emerges

The 2026 World Cup in North America is heating up, already causing shifts in the FIFA rankings, even though the next official update won't be until the 20th, after the final. As the tournament enters the Round of 16, the current standings, as per FIFA's website, reveal a new leader: France, replacing Argentina. Portugal has dropped two spots, while Mexico has broken into the top 10.

The big news, as mentioned, is France's ascent to the top of the table. The French climbed two positions and now lead the virtual rankings with 1916.24 points. They've overtaken Argentina, who slipped to second place (1913.71), despite their 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde. Spain follows closely in third, dropping a spot even after their dominant 3-0 win against Austria in the previous knockout round. For La Roja, their opening draw against the Blue Sharks likely played a role, as the last official update predated the tournament's start.

Regarding Portugal, their drop is attributed to draws against Congo and Colombia, which even a heroic 2-1 victory over Croatia in Toronto couldn't fully offset. Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonçalo Ramos contributed a significant 23 direct points to FIFA's algorithm. Nevertheless, the Seleção fell to seventh place, two positions lower than where they stood at the World Cup's outset.

Roberto Martínez's squad is now preparing for the always highly anticipated Iberian derby. Portugal will face Spain in the next round, a match expected to captivate the nation. Neighboring Spain occupies the third spot in these provisional world rankings, setting the stage for an incredibly demanding knockout tie for the national team.

Another major highlight of the tournament so far is Morocco. The African side has climbed one position and now sits in sixth place, right behind Portugal. The Atlas Lions secured their spot in the Round of 16 after eliminating the Netherlands in a penalty shootout, sending the Dutch home. Morocco is set to play Canada this Saturday.

Brazil also capitalized on their momentum, moving up one spot to fifth, just behind England, who remain stable in fourth. A final note goes to Mexico, who recorded the biggest jump among the top ten. The Mexicans climbed four positions to round out the world's top 10, behind the Netherlands (8th) and Belgium (9th), as they prepare to face England in the next stage.