The most recent FIFA rankings show that the Canadian men’s national soccer team has slipped two spots to No. 29. This drop occurred despite the team not having participated in any Tier 1 international matches since the previous rankings were published. Nigeria (No. 26, up 12 places) and Algeria (No. 28, up six places) surpassed Canada following their performances at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Nigeria, finishing third, and Cameroon (No. 45, up 12), which lost in the quarterfinals to eventual runner-up Morocco, were the most notable climbers in the updated rankings.
Canada’s sole match after the last rankings update was a 1-0 victory over Guatemala in a B international game in Los Angeles, which did not impact the FIFA rankings. Guatemala maintained its position at No. 94. The top seven teams in the rankings remained unchanged, with Spain leading the list, followed by Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Morocco re-entered the top 10, reaching an all-time high of No. 8, while Belgium, Germany, and Croatia each dropped one spot to No. 9, No. 10, and No. 11, respectively.
Senegal, the winner of AFCON, climbed seven places to No. 12, while Equatorial Guinea suffered the most significant drop, falling 10 spots to No. 107. Egypt (No. 31, up four), Ivory Coast (No. 37, up five), and Congo DR (No. 48, up eight) all made movements in the rankings post the African championship.
In the CONCACAF region, the top five teams all slid in the rankings, with the U.S. and Mexico dropping one place each to No. 15 and No. 16, respectively. Panama (No. 33, down three) and Costa Rica (No. 51, down two) were positioned below Canada. Uzbekistan, Canada’s upcoming opponent in a friendly match on June 1 in Edmonton, also fell two places to No. 52.
Future fixtures for Canada include matches against No. 47 Tunisia (down six) and No. 74 Iceland (unchanged) in the upcoming March international window. Additionally, Canada is set to face No. 18 Switzerland (down one) and No. 56 Qatar (down two) in Group B at the upcoming World Cup. The group will be completed by the victor of a European playoff involving No. 13 Italy (down one), No. 35 Wales (down three), No. 69 Northern Ireland, and No. 71 Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Canada’s highest-ever FIFA ranking was achieved in September at No. 26, while the team had previously dropped to as low as No. 122 in August and September 2014.