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Morocco have matched a FIFA ranking record held by Nigeria for 32 years after the Atlas Lions climbed to fifth in the world.
The rise means Morocco have become only the second African nation to reach fifth place in the FIFA men’s world rankings, joining the Super Eagles, who achieved the feat in April 1994.
Morocco moved above Brazil after the five-time world champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Australia, taking the Atlas Lions to a position Nigeria had occupied alone since their historic rise three decades ago.
Morocco reach the heights Nigeria once occupied
Nigeria reached fifth in the world in 1994 during a memorable period for the national team. The Super Eagles won that year’s Africa Cup of Nations before making their World Cup debut in the United States.
They subsequently reached the last 16, where they suffered a 2-1 extra-time defeat against eventual finalists Italy.
Morocco have now reached the same ranking position after several years of progress on the international stage.
The Atlas Lions became the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final in 2022 and followed that achievement with another strong campaign at the 2026 tournament, reaching the quarter-finals.
Morocco currently have 1,803.99 points in FIFA’s live ranking calculation, narrowly ahead of Brazil on 1,802.90.
The position remains unofficial until FIFA confirms the results from the latest international window. The previous official ranking, released on July 20, had Morocco sixth, with the next official update scheduled for October 7.
Nigeria’s contrasting fortunes
Morocco’s rise comes at a difficult time for Nigerian football, with the Super Eagles suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat against Guinea-Bissau in their latest 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Nigeria had entered the international window ranked 26th in the world, while Guinea-Bissau were 132nd.
The Super Eagles began their qualifying campaign with a victory over Madagascar but were beaten convincingly in Bissau, leaving Guinea-Bissau top of Group L with six points from two matches.
However, Nigeria’s defeat did not cause Morocco to climb to fifth. The Atlas Lions’ move was primarily the result of Brazil dropping points against Australia.
The significance for Nigeria is instead historical, as Morocco have now joined the Super Eagles among the African teams to have reached fifth in FIFA’s rankings.