Argentina Jumps to the Top of FIFA World Rankings As 2026 World Cup Begins

La Albiceleste is targeting a fourth star and second-consecutive World Cup.

Lionel Messi is back on top of the world. | Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Argentina seeks to become the first men’s team since Pelé’s Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup, and rising to No. 1 in the FIFA World Rankings for the first time in almost a year just as the tournament kicks off is sure to embolden Lionel Messi and Co. as they chase victory.

The rankings have shifted following countries’ final, pre-tournament matches in the weeks ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Argentina beat Iceland and Honduras in its pair of friendlies, enough to climb two places, from third to first. The last time the reigning world champions occupied that spot was July 2025.

Aiding Argentina’s rise was France’s surprise loss to Côte d’Ivoire a week ago. The 2022 World Cup. runner-up went on to beat Northern Ireland a few days later, but the earlier defeat was just too costly. Spain remains second in the standings, unchanged after drawing with Iraq and beating Peru.

Argentina has now won seven straight matches, scoring 21 times and conceding only once. It’s a streak that began in October 2025, although none of those matches have been in a competitive setting. In Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Angola, Mauritania, Zambia, Honduras and Iceland, the team also hasn’t faced any major opponent, and one-sided victory every time is the minimum expectation.

Venezuela—49th in the world—is the only one ranked inside the top 50, while Puerto Rico and Mauritania both fall outside the top 100. The Mauritania and Zambia matches were hastily arranged in March when the 2026 Finalissima against European champion Spain, due to be hosted in Qatar, was forcibly postponed due to the unrest in the Middle East.

Argentina will be put to a greater test once its Group J campaign gets underway on June 16. La Albiceleste faces Algeria, Austria and Jordan in a very favorable opening round, from which as few as four points should all but guarantee a place in the knockouts. Even just three could be enough, offering an enormous and unprecedented margin for error for all 48 teams taking part.

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FIFA Men’s World Rankings: Top 20—June 11, 2026

The only country ranked inside the current top 20 not competing at the World Cup is Italy, highlighting the catastrophe and embarrassment that failing to qualify for a third-successive tournament represents for the four-time champion.

Rank	Country
1	Argentina
2	Spain
3	France
4	England
5	Portugal
6	Brazil
7	Morocco
8	Netherlands
9	Belgium
10	Germany
11	Croatia
12	Italy
13	Mexico
14	Colombia
15	Senegal
16	Uruguay
17	United States
18	Japan
19	Switzerland
20	Iran

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