Ghana Moves Up FIFA Rankings, Maintains Lead in World Cup Qualifying Group

Ghana’s Black Stars have moved up one spot in the latest FIFA World Rankings, rising from 76th to 75th after their September outings in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Otto Addo’s men secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Chad before edging Mali 1-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium. The results not only strengthened Ghana’s grip on top spot in Group I but also gave the team a slight boost on the global stage.

On the continent, however, the Black Stars’ position remains unchanged, with the four-time African champions still sitting 14th in Africa.

Coach Addo welcomed the progress but stressed the need for consistency. “The elephant in the room is always consistency, but we have shown resilience, and I believe we can improve further,” he said after the win over Mali.

Ghana currently lead Group I with 19 points from eight games, three clear of Madagascar in second place, while Comoros are third on 15 points. Mali, once tipped as Ghana’s main challengers, have slipped down the table with 12 points.

The Black Stars will complete their 2025 fixtures in October with back-to-back encounters against the Central African Republic and Comoros—matches that could prove decisive in their quest for a fifth World Cup appearance since their 2006 debut in Germany.

Globally, Spain returned to the summit of the FIFA rankings for the first time since 2014, replacing Argentina, who dropped to third after losing to Ecuador. France climbed to second, while England and Portugal rounded out the top five. Morocco remain Africa’s top-ranked side at 11th.

The next FIFA rankings will be published in October, with November’s release expected to influence seedings for the World Cup draw scheduled for December 5 in Washington.