Vital FIFA World Ranking Released: Germany Remains No. 1 Ahead of World Cup Draw
Germany remain top of the latest FIFA World Rankings, with the October update taking into account the latest round of World Cup qualifiers and friendlies that have played out around the planet at international level over the course of the last month.
Overall, there have been no changes to the top six at all, with Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium, and Poland all staying firm between 2nd and 6th.
France, seen as one of the favourites for next summer's World Cup given the incredible depth of talent at the disposal of head coach Didier Deschamps, have risen one place to 7th. Neighbours Spain have broken back into the top 10 after rising three places to 8th.
Back-to-back defending Copa America champions Chile stay put in 9th place, despite recent results confirming they will definitely miss out on the World Cup in Russia after finishing as low as 6th in the CONMEBOL qualification standings.
Peru are the notable new addition to the top 10 after rising two places to 10th. It is a record high for the South American country after securing a 5th place finish in CONMEBOL's World Cup standings and an intercontinental playoff berth against New Zealand for a place in Russia.
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Not since 1982 and the days of World Cup cult hero Teofilo Cubillas have Peru played on the very biggest of international stages.
Switzerland have spectacularly fallen out of the top 10 after falling four places to 11th. England are up three place from 15th to 12th, leapfrogging Wales, who have fallen one place to 14th. Colombia are down three places to 13th, but Italy have risen two places to 15th.
Despite poor results ensuring they won't be at the World Cup for the first time since 1986, the United States have actually risen a place to 27th in the latest rankings. First time qualifiers Panama have unsurprisingly jumped 11 place into the top 50 at 49th.
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Tunisia have overtaken Egypt as the highest ranked African team after rising three places from 31st to 28th. Egypt, after securing a place at their first World Cup since 1990, remain 30th.
Iran remain the highest ranked nation in Asia even after falling nine places to 34th.
Scotland have remarkably climbed 14 places to 29th, while Austria are up 18 places to 39th. But the honour of the biggest climb anywhere in the world actually goes to Turkmenistan after rising an incredible 22 places to 114th.
Ecuador hold the dubious honour of being the worst fallers on the planet this month after plummeting 25 places down the rankings to 60th. That is only three places shy of their worst ever position since FIFA World Rankings were first introduced nearly 25 years ago.
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FIFA World Rankings Top 25, October 2017:
Rank | Country | Change |
1 | Germany | - |
2 | Brazil | - |
3 | Portugal | - |
4 | Argentina | - |
5 | Belgium | - |
6 | Poland | - |
7 | France | Up 1 |
8 | Spain | Up 3 |
9 | Chile | - |
10 | Peru | Up 2 |
11 | Switzerland | Down 4 |
12 | England | Up 3 |
13 | Colombia | Down 3 |
14 | Wales | Down 1 |
15 | Italy | Up 2 |
16 | Mexico | Down 2 |
17 | Uruguay | Down 1 |
18 | Croatia | - |
19 | Denmark | Up 7 |
20 | Netherlands | Up 9 |
21 | Iceland | Up 1 |
22 | Costa Rica | Down 1 |
23 | Northern Ireland | Down 3 |
24 | Slovakia | Down 5 |
25 | Sweden | Down 2 |
