The FIFA Men’s World Ranking is a ranking system for men’s national teams in association football, first introduced in December 1992. The men’s teams of the member nations of FIFA are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked the highest.
As of June 2026, the rankings were led by Argentina. Eight teams have held the top position, of which Brazil have spent the longest time ranked first.
๐ Points System and Calculation
A points system is used, with points being awarded based on the results of all FIFA-recognised full international matches. Since 16 August 2018, the ranking system has adopted the Elo rating system used in chess and Go.
The current calculation method has been in use since August 2018. The formula is based on the Elo rating system and after each game points are added to or subtracted from a team’s rating.
Negative points in knockout stages of final competitions do not affect teams’ ratings. Since the April 2021 rankings, the teams’ points are rounded to two decimal points.
๐ Major Changes in 2018
The current ranking system represented a major change from the previous versions. The most significant change was to move away from a system in which points were accrued for victories or draws and then dropped after a certain date, to a continuous rating system.
The current calculation method abolishes the weightings designated for FIFA’s continental confederations. It retained the 2006 changes which ascribed no value to whether a game was home or away, or to the margin of the victory.
FIFA had intended to introduce the new ranking system in July 2018 immediately after the FIFA World Cup, but this was delayed until August 2018. The starting points for the August 2018 ranking had an equal distribution of points between 1600 and 868.
๐ Historical Ranking Systems
In December 1992, FIFA first published a listing in rank order of its men’s member associations. Significant changes were implemented in January 1999 and again in July 2006.
The ranking formula used from December 1992 until December 1998 awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a loss. In January 1999, FIFA introduced a revised system incorporating many changes in response to criticism.
FIFA announced that the ranking system would be updated following the 2006 World Cup. The evaluation period was cut from eight to four years, and goals scored and home or away advantage were no longer taken into account.
โ ๏ธ Criticisms and Analysis
Since their introduction in 1992, the FIFA World Rankings have been the subject of much debate. The perceived flaws in the FIFA system have led to the creation of a number of alternative rankings from football statisticians.
A 2022 analysis argued that the 2018 system is a clear improvement over the previous FIFA rankings. The analysis noted that the FIFA rankings will slowly inflate the number of points.
Criticisms of the 2006โ2018 formula included the inability of hosts of major tournaments to retain a high place in the rankings. For example, 2014 FIFA World Cup hosts Brazil fell to a record low ranking of 22nd in the world before that tournament.
| Year | System Change | Key Feature | Top Team (Example) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | First introduced | Simple points for wins/draws | N/A |
| 1999 | Revised system | Weightings for match importance and opponent strength | N/A |
| 2006 | Updated system | Evaluation period cut to 4 years; no home/away or goal margin | N/A |
| 2018 | Elo rating system adopted | Continuous rating; no confederation weightings | France |