FIFA World Rankings ahead of the 2026 World Cup

The latest FIFA World Rankings have been released and are now being updated in real-time so you can track the best national teams in the world ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

There is an interesting recent move in the FIFA rankings via their official website, Morocco have moved up to 8th place in the world.

Meanwhile, Belgium and Germany are down in the same place, but there is no change anywhere near the top as the usual suspects position themselves as favourites.

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Read on for the top ten national teams in the world as we gain insight into this summer’s World Cup favourites…

FIFA World Rankings

1) Spain – 1877.18 points

Having already won Euro 2024, it’s no surprise to see Spain top the list, with world-class talents like Lamine Yamal and Pedri sure to make them a force to be reckoned with at the 2026 World Cup. The last time they won this cup they entered the competition as the best in the Euro two years ago, so that is a good sign for them as they look to lift this title for the second time.

2) Argentina 1873.33 points

Reigning world champions, Argentina will be looking to retain their title this summer, and are behind Spain as favourites. Lionel Messi is four years older now, and long past his prime, so how important will that be to the South American giants?

3) France 1870.00 points

On paper, perhaps the best team in the competition. France’s squad is loaded with stars, with Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, and William Saliba arguably the best players in the world in their positions right now, and even reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele won’t be guaranteed a starting spot. Les Bleus last won the trophy in 2018 and will now look to overturn defeat in the 2022 final.

4) England 1834.12 points

Could it finally be England’s year? They certainly look as strong as ever as they sit fourth in the world table, and will be hoping that new manager Thomas Tuchel can be key in helping them go one step further than Gareth Southgate was able to take them.

5) Brazil 1760.46 points

A team with multiple World Cups, but without a win since 2002, can Brazil re-establish themselves as world football’s biggest team? There is a lot of talent in this team, even if it is not the Brazil of old, and manager Carlo Ancelotti has been a trophy-winning machine at club level, so it could be the key to bringing a sixth World Cup to Brazil.

6) Portugal – 1760.38 points

Messi finally lifted the World Cup in 2022, can Cristiano Ronaldo do it with Portugal in 2026? His country is not his favourite, but sitting in 6th place in the world rankings shows that they are at the top of their day. With luck, Ronaldo can finally get that one elusive trophy to end his career on a high.

7) The Netherlands – 1756.27 points

What is remarkable is that the Netherlands has never won the World Cup, but it is sitting in 7th place in the world ranking as it continues to be at the top with the best teams in world football. This is not as good a side as the previous ones, but you can’t rule them out.

8) Morocco – 1736.57 points

Afcon who are expected to win after the end of January was eliminated by Senegal, Morocco has improved a lot and will be looking to progress to the semi-finals of the last World Cup.

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9) Belgium 1730.71 points

Their heyday with the likes of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne at the top has passed, but 9th place is a good result here in Belgium, who still have plenty of talent in their squad that could do them well at the World Cup.

10) Germany – 1724.15 points

Germany has not been at a high level for some time, despite having a good record in the World Cup, having won four. It’s been hard to replace recent legends like Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, and Mesut Ozil, but they usually seem to find a way to go far in major tournaments, so they can do it again even if it’s not the old side.