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Argentina reclaimed the top spot in the FIFA men's rankings this Thursday, just minutes before the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup, reinforcing its position as the favorite as the reigning world champion.
La Albiceleste, which had not topped the rankings since July 2025, took advantage of its two victories in the friendlies leading up to the tournament to reclaim the top spot, displacing France, which fell to third place after losing 2-1 to Ivory Coast on June 4.
Argentina accumulates 1,877.27 points, followed by Spain with 1,874.71 and England in fourth place with 1,828.02. France stands in third place with 1,870.70 points, while Portugal rounds out the top five with 1,767.85.
Spain remained in second place after drawing against Iraq in their last preparatory friendly.
Argentina's results in the World Cup qualifying phase were decisive: a 2-0 victory against Honduras on June 6 and a 3-0 thrashing of Iceland on June 9, two wins that were enough for regain the top spot in the ranking that they had lost nearly a year ago.
The team led by Lionel Scaloni will begin its defense of the world title as the highest-ranked national team in the world, in what will be the largest World Cup in history: the first with 48 teams participating, divided into 12 groups of four teams, and with a total of 104 matches, taking place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
Argentina was drawn in Group J alongside Algeria, Austria, and Jordan, with a debut scheduled for June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City.
Among the most notable movements in the ranking, Morocco stands out, rising to seventh place and achieving its highest ranking in history since the FIFA ranking was established in 1993, surpassing the Netherlands.
In America, Mexico climbed to 14th place and Uruguay to 16th, while Senegal and the United States lost ground. Iran, on the other hand, reentered the world's top 20.
This update also has regulatory significance: according to the tournament regulations, the FIFA ranking will serve as a tiebreaker to determine final positions in the groups and to identify which of the best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout stage in case of a tie after the initial sports criteria have been applied.
The update published today represents the latest official ranking before the start of the tournament and provides a clear snapshot of the global landscape: Argentina returns to the throne, Spain and France complete the podium, and teams like Morocco continue to gain prominence in the elite of international football.
Now, with the ball about to roll in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the challenge for the Albiceleste will be to show on the field why it is once again regarded as the best national team in the world.
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