Ghana drops four places in FIFA rankings after AFCON qualification failure  

Ghana has slipped four places in the latest FIFA rankings, now positioned 77th globally, following a disappointing end to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification campaign. 

Previously ranked 73rd in October, the Black Stars also retain their 14th spot in Africa, trailing regional powerhouses such as Morocco, Senegal, and Egypt.  

The decline comes on the back of a lacklustre performance in the qualifiers, where Ghana managed only three points from six games. The campaign concluded with a 1-1 draw against Angola and a 2-1 home defeat to Niger, leaving the Black Stars at the bottom of Group F and missing out on AFCON 2025.  

Niger, one of Ghana's Group F opponents, experienced a significant boost in the rankings, moving up nine places to 122nd globally.  

This development marks a challenging year for the Black Stars, whose highest FIFA ranking in 2024 was 67th in February. Since then, they have fluctuated, dropping progressively to 77th in November.  

Despite their struggles, Ghana's 14th position in Africa keeps them ahead of other continental teams like Zambia and Gabon but still behind Cape Verde and Burkina Faso.  

The Black Stars will look to bounce back when they return to action in March for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.  

Global rankings remain steady

Argentina maintains its position as the top-ranked team globally, followed by France. However, recent defeats for both nations have allowed Spain and England, in third and fourth positions respectively, to close the gap. Brazil rounds out the top five, with no changes in the top ten rankings since the last update in July.  

As the Black Stars reflect on their recent shortcomings, their focus will now shift to rebuilding and preparing for upcoming challenges on the international stage.