TheCable

The Super Falcons of Nigeria experienced the biggest drop by ranks in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking for the month of September.

The African champions have dropped nine places in the global rankings and now occupy the 38th position but remain the best team in the continent.

They are expected to slide further in the next ranking after an abysmal outing at the All-Africa Games in Congo where they failed to win a medal.

Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana and South Africa make up the top five teams in Africa.

Globally, there was no change at the top as the leading teams have not played many matches since the publication of the last edition, shortly after the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015.

That means that reigning world champions the USA continue to hold a lead over Germany and France.

There has, however, been some movement further down the top ten due to the EAFF East Asian Cup, which was played in China PR in August.

World Cup runners-up Japan (4th, no change) had a disappointing East Asian Cup campaign, finishing in third place, which equates to a drop of 21 points in the ranking. Nevertheless, the Nadeshiko have held on to fourth place between France (3rd, no change) and England (5th, no change).

Six teams have re-entered the ranking, which means that there are currently 147 teams in the list, a number that is fast approaching the all-time record of 150. Two teams have this month achieved their highest-ever rankings – Equatorial Guinea (50th, up 5) and New Caledonia (94th, new).

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking will be published on December 18, 2015.

TOP TEN AFRICAN TEAMS

1) Nigeria

2) Cameroon

3) Equatorial Guinea

4) Ghana

5) South Africa

6) Ivory Coast

7) Algeria

8) Morocco

9) Tunisia

10) Egypt