Despite securing qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Bafana Bafana have dropped four places in the latest FIFA World Rankings.
The South African national team, previously ranked 55th, have slipped to 59th in the world — a surprising drop considering their recent success in the World Cup qualifiers.
Bafana drew 0-0 with Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium before defeating Rwanda 3-0 at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday to finish top of Group C and seal their place at next year’s global showpiece — their first qualification since 2002.
However, those results were not enough to improve their position in the global standings, as the two matches played this month were the only fixtures factored into FIFA’s latest update.
Historically, Bafana Bafana’s average ranking has hovered around 55th, with their highest-ever climb being 25 places and their biggest drop being 19 places.
Meanwhile, Spain, the 2010 FIFA World Cup champions in South Africa, have returned to the number one spot, overtaking reigning world champions Argentina.
The next FIFA World Rankings are set to be released on 21 November 2025 (in 35 days). The South African Football Association (SAFA) is currently working to arrange international friendly matches for Bafana Bafana next month to help boost their ranking ahead of the World Cup draw in December.
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