Spain stay atop FIFA rankings; Portugal rise to fifth
World champions Spain retain their status as the world's top-ranked men's national team in FIFA's October update, with Portugal climbing into the top five
Spain has maintained its top position in the FIFA world rankings, edging out Argentina. Meanwhile, Portugal and Switzerland have climbed two spots to secure fifth and 12th places, respectively. Australia, Canada, Cote d'Ivoire, Sweden, Greece, Mali, and South Africa were among several countries that saw multiple position improvements.
Spain's ascent to the top spot in July can be attributed to their 1-0 extra-time victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, with Luis de la Fuente's team continuing to dominate with four consecutive wins. Portugal's rise to fifth position has demoted Brazil and Morocco to sixth and seventh, respectively. New coach Jorge Jesus has led Portugal to victories in all four of their recent UEFA Nations League games.
Switzerland, who were World Cup 2026 quarter-finalists, also registered four wins, with three of them being 3-0 victories. Other rising nations include Australia, Canada, Côte d'Ivoire, Sweden, Greece, Mali, and South Africa.
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