In the upcoming FIFA rankings update, which is scheduled for July 9, Lionel Messi’s Argentina will maintain their position at the top after securing valuable points in the June FIFA international window. With a 1-0 victory over Chile and a 1-1 draw with Colombia, La Albiceleste not only solidified their lead in the South American Conmebol World Cup Qualifiers, but also reinforced their standing atop the global rankings.
Argentina, coached by Lionel Scaloni, have occupied the top position since April of 2023, after they won the World Cup in Qatar. Thanks to triumphs in the Copa America and their excellent record in Qualifiers, in which they only have lost three matches and drawn two, they have been able to extend their record in the first position. Currently, they sit third in the all-time leading table with 1,566 days at the top.
The Argentine squad’s nearest rivals struggled to keep up. Spain, second in the rankings, secured a thrilling 5-4 victory over France in the UEFA Nations League semifinal. However, they were unable to clinch the title in the final against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, settling for a draw over 120 minutes before losing in the penalty shootout.
Among the top contenders, England saw mixed results. Despite a narrow 1-0 win against Andorra in UEFA Qualifiers, they stumbled in a friendly match with a 3-1 defeat to Senegal. These outcomes brought them closer to Brazil’s fifth spot in the rankings. Brazil, debuting a new era under coach Carlo Ancelotti, drew 0-0 with Ecuador but bounced back with a 1-0 win over Paraguay.
Spain also remains in the second place of the FIFA Rankings (Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
Rounding out the top 10, the Netherlands clung to sixth place while fending off a challenge from Portugal. The Dutch team earned victories against Finland (2-0) and Malta (8-0), marking the start of their campaign in the 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament. Portugal, despite capturing the UEFA Nations League title by overcoming Germany in the semifinals and Spain in the final, remained in seventh place.
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What’s next for Argentina?
Argentina’s schedule is packed for the rest of the year. Coming up is the September FIFA international window, featuring matches against Venezuela and Ecuador. With the Conmebol Qualifiers essentially wrapped up, Argentina’s focus will now shift to earning additional points in the FIFA Rankings, striving to maintain their top position heading into the 2026 World Cup.
Current Top 10 FIFA Rankings (next update on July 9)
- 1. Argentina: 1886.16 points
- 2. Spain: 1854.64 points
- 3. France: 1852.71 points
- 4. England: 1819.2 points
- 5. Brazil: 1776.03 points
- 6. Netherlands: 1752.44 points
- 7. Portugal: 1750.08 points
- 8. Belgium: 1735.75 points
- 9. Italy: 1718.31 points
