The FIFA Ranking has had its first update after the 2026 World Cup, with Lamine Yamal’s Spain climbing to the No. 1 spot, while Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal suffering drops. The 2026 World Cup has come to a close with Spain crowned world champions, concluding an action-packed 48-team mega-tournament across North America. Following the dramatic month-long competition, FIFA officially released its post-tournament World Rankings on July 20, with Lamine Yamal’s side ascending to the top spot, while Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal both slid down the table.
Spain’s historic march to its second World Cup title propelled La Roja back to No. 1 in the FIFA World Rankings with 1,995.88 points, reclaiming the throne they surrendered back in April. Entering the tournament in the June 11 update, the Spanish side led by Yamal sat second behind Argentina with 1,874.71 points before sweeping through the bracket.
Conversely, Argentina slipped to No. 2 with 1,970.37 points. Despite accumulating more total ranking points than when they arrived in North America, Messi’s squad was dethroned from the top spot after failing to secure back-to-back World Cup trophies.
While France and England held firm inside the top four, Portugal suffered a notable drop after entering the tournament ranked fifth in June. Ousted by eventual champions Spain in the Round of 16, Cristiano Ronaldo’s side fell two places to seventh overall (1,787.85 points), officially passed by both Brazil (fifth) and Morocco (sixth).
Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal shows dejection after the 0-1 defeat against Spain.
Biggest movers in the FIFA Rankings post-World Cup
While the top four spots in the updated FIFA rankings were occupied by the four 2026 World Cup semifinalists, the tournament produced major shifts across the global landscape.
The biggest shakeup inside the top tier saw Germany drop out of the top ten entirely, falling from 10th to 12th. Meanwhile, co-hosts Mexico vaulted back into the top ten for the first time since April 2021 following a thrilling quarterfinal run that ended at Estadio Azteca against England.
By lifting the trophy at MetLife Stadium, Spain earned the most overall points during this international window (+121.17). However, Erling Haaland’s Norway made the biggest leap on the board, climbing 12 spots to 19th overall after reaching the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in program history.
On the other end of the spectrum, a scoreless group-stage exit cost Panama a tournament-high 60.75 ranking points, while Tunisia suffered the biggest drop in position, plummeting 12 spots to 57th. The next official FIFA World Ranking update will be released on October 7, 2026, following the autumn international window, guaranteeing Spain nearly three months atop the world soccer throne.
FIFA Rankings Top 10 following the 2026 World Cup
Spain — 1995.88 points.Argentina — 1970.3 points.France — 1948.97 points.England — 1922.83 points.Brazil — 1804.92 points.Morocco — 1803.99 points.Portugal — 1787.85 points.Belgium — 1778.36 points.Netherlands — 1775.54 points.Mexico — 1754.30 points.