The Super Eagles will end 2025 ranked 38th in the world, according to the latest FIFA rankings released on Monday.

Nigeria’s position remains unchanged from the Nov. 19 ranking, after the team climbed three places from 41st.

The Super Eagles also retained sixth position on the African rankings.

Overall, 2025 proved mixed for Nigeria, but the team finished the year six places higher than its opening ranking of 44th.

The first ranking of the year in April saw Nigeria rise to 43rd. Subsequent updates dropped the Eagles to 44th in July and 45th in Sept.

October marked a turnaround as Nigeria surged to 41st, recording their biggest rise since Feb.

The November ranking lifted the Eagles three more places to 38th, a position they maintain heading into 2026.

In Africa, Morocco led the continent at 11th globally, followed by Senegal in 19th place. Algeria climbed to 34th, while Egypt dropped to 35th, ranking fifth in Africa.

Globally, Spain topped the rankings ahead of Argentina and France. England is fourth, Brazil fifth, followed by Portugal and the Netherlands.

Belgium, Germany and Croatia complete the top 10.

The next FIFA rankings will be released on Jan. 19, 2026, a day after the AFCON final in Morocco.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle was notably absent as FIFA released the official list of voters for the 2025 Best FIFA Football Awards, despite extensive Nigerian involvement across voting and expert panels.

Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was Nigeria’s sole nominee across the 11 award categories, earning recognition for her performances with Brighton, Paris FC, and the Super Falcons.

Nigerians, however, featured prominently in the decision-making process as captains, coaches, media representatives and members of FIFA’s expert panels.

Nnadozie was shortlisted for the best FIFA Women’s goalkeeper and the best FIFA Women’s 11 following a standout season.

She played a decisive role as Paris FC stunned Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France final, keeping a clean sheet before saving two penalties in the shootout. At the international level, she recorded four clean sheets in six matches as Nigeria defeated Morocco in Rabat to reclaim the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title.

Despite those heroics, Nnadozie finished joint-last in voting for The Best FIFA Women’s 11, with her and 17 other goalkeepers failing to receive a vote in a category won by England’s Hannah Hampton. Hampton also claimed the best FIFA Women’s goalkeeper award, finishing ahead of Spain’s Cata Coll.

In the men’s best player category, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong voted for Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi and Lamine Yamal, while Nigeria’s media representative Oluwashina Okeleji selected Dembélé, Hakimi and Mohamed Salah.

For the women’s best player award, Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade voted for Temwa Chawinga, Aitana Bonmatí, and Melchie Dumornay. Nigeria’s women’s head coach, Justine Madugu, chose Aitana Bonmatí, Alessia Russo, and Lucy Bronze, while Okeleji voted for Bonmatí, Russo and Chawinga.

In the men’s goalkeeper category, Troost-Ekong voted for Gianluigi Donnarumma, Manuel Neuer, and Alisson Becker, while Okeleji selected Donnarumma, Raya, and Thibaut Courtois.

For the women’s goalkeeper award, Ajibade voted for Nnadozie and Hampton, with Madugu and Okeleji also naming Nnadozie and Hampton in their ballots.

Beyond Nigeria, Nnadozie received votes from captains, coaches, and media representatives in 238 countries worldwide that placed her fourth behind Hampton, Spain’s Cata Coll, and Chile’s Christiane Endler.

In the women’s coach category, Ajibade and Madugu voted for Renée Slegers, Sonia Bompastor and Sarina Wiegman, while Okeleji voted for Wiegman, Bompastor and Seb Hines.

For the men’s coach award, Troost-Ekong and Okeleji both voted for Luis Enrique, Hansi Flick and Arne Slot. Across all categories, Chelle was the only Nigerian voter missing, leaving Troost-Ekong and Okeleji as Nigeria’s sole representatives in the men’s sections.

Beyond voting, Nigerians were also involved in FIFA’s expert panels responsible for shortlisting nominees.

Cinthya Uwak served on the panel for the women’s player, coach and goalkeeper awards, Yewande Balogun was part of the panel for the FIFA Marta Award for best women’s goal, Perpetua Nkwocha contributed to the selection of the best FIFA Women’s 11, Sunday Oliseh was involved in shortlisting The Best FIFA Men’s 11, while Mercy Akide served on the panel for the FIFA Fair Play Award.

The best FIFA Football Awards was held on Tuesday and covered performances between August 11, 2024 and August 2, 2025. Voting opened on November 6, 2025 and closed on November 28, 2025.

Winners included Bonmatí as the best FIFA Women’s Player, Dembélé as the best FIFA Men’s Player, Hampton as the best FIFA Women’s goalkeeper and Gianluigi Donnarumma as the best FIFA Men’s goalkeeper.

The Super Eagles camp in Cairo has grown to 22 players with the arrival of Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu, ahead of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) international friendly match against Egypt.

News reports that Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman and defenders Semi Ajayi and Bright Osayi-Samuel reported to camp earlier on Monday at the Renaissance Hotel, joining a steadily increasing squad.

Goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defender Igoh Ogbu and midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi were also among the latest arrivals to bolster the team.

They linked up with early arrivals Francis Uzoho, Stanley Nwabali, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, who had checked in on Sunday.

Super Eagles Media Officer Promise Efoghe said that 20 players participated in the team’s first training session held on Monday evening.

“Training went smoothly and the players showed good energy and commitment, which is encouraging at this stage of preparations,” Efoghe said.

Efoghe said that Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika and Alebiosu arrived shortly after training, raising the number of players in camp to 22, with six more expected.

He said as part of preparations, the Super Eagles would play a friendly against the Pharaohs of Egypt on Tuesday at the Cairo International Stadium.

“The friendly will help the technical crew assess team shape and readiness ahead of the AFCON challenge,” Efoghe said.

Nigeria, three-time champions, and seven-time winners Egypt will clash at 8 p.m. Egypt time (7 p.m. Nigeria time) in the build-up to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco.

Efoghe confirmed that the team will depart Cairo for Féz on Thursday aboard a chartered flight to continue final preparations.

Nigeria’s quest for a fourth continental title, following victories in 1980, 1994 and 2013, begins on Dec. 23 against Tanzania, under the theme “NAIJA 4 THE WIN.”

The Eagles will also face Tunisia on Dec. 27 and Uganda on Dec. 30 in Group C, with all matches scheduled for the Complexe Sportif de Féz.

Egypt, the only nation to win AFCON three consecutive times, will battle South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe in Group B, with matches holding in Agadir.