NEW YORK: Spain has climbed to the top of the FIFA men’s world rankings following its unbeaten run to the FIFA World Cup 2026 title, while Pakistan remains 199th among the 210 ranked national teams.
Spain, which defeated Argentina to win the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, gained a tournament-best 121.17 ranking points to move from second place to No. 1.
Argentina, the 2022 world champion and 2026 runner-up, slipped to second in the latest rankings.
France retained third place, followed by England in fourth. Brazil moved up one spot to fifth despite being eliminated by Norway in the Round of 16.
Morocco reached a historic sixth-place ranking after its quarterfinal exit against France, while Portugal dropped two places to seventh.
Belgium climbed to eighth despite losing to eventual champion Spain in the quarterfinals. The Netherlands ranked ninth, while Mexico completed the top 10.
Among Asian nations, Iran is ranked 22nd, while Egypt stands 24th globally. India is 138th, Ethiopia 143rd, Afghanistan 177th, Bangladesh 181st and Sri Lanka 187th.
Pakistan is ranked 199th in FIFA’s latest standings, placing it near the bottom of the 210-member list. San Marino, one of Europe’s smallest nations, remains at the bottom of the world rankings.
More read, Spain earns record $50 million prize after winning FIFA World Cup
Earlier, Spain received a record $50 million in prize money after defeating defending champion Argentina 1-0 to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, securing its second world title and first since 2010.
The final remained scoreless through regulation time and the first half of extra time before Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal early in the second period of extra time, ending Spain’s 16-year wait for another World Cup crown.
Runner-up Argentina earned $33 million, while England, which finished third, received $29 million. France, the fourth-place finisher, was awarded $27 million.
According to FIFA, a total of $655 million in prize money was distributed during the 2026 World Cup, a significant increase from the $440 million awarded at the 2022 tournament.
