At the 2026 World Cup, Mexico are the highest ranked host in the FIFA world ranking. In the 2026 World Cup, there are three host countries for the first time ever. While they are not far apart from one another, Mexico are the highest-ranked team in the FIFA world ranking.
Mexico are currently 14th after moving ahead of Senegal in the latest update. In the June 11 edition, their total points were 1687.48, and that will remain the case until the competition ends.
With this position, Mexico are three spots ahead of the United States and 16 ahead of Canada. Their highest ranking has been fourth on multiple occasions, while their lowest position was 40th in 2015.
Mexico’s rivals
Mexico are the clear No. 1 team in Group A, 11 places ahead of their next opponent. That team is South Korea, who are ranked 25th in the most recent ranking and are also the main challenger for first place.
South Korea are ranked below Mexico (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
The rest of the group is close to one another, but much further behind Mexico. The third-ranked team in the group is Czechia, which is placed 40th.
The lowest-ranked team in the group is South Africa. As the 11th-ranked team in their confederation, they are 60th overall, which reflects their place in the talent pool.
FIFA ranking procedure
The FIFA ranking published on the federation’s website is not always easy to follow because it relies on a complex algorithm that uses several variables. The next update is scheduled for July 19, with an explanation of how it works available on the official site.
FIFA states: “A new model took effect in August 2018 after approval by the FIFA Council. This new version relies on adding/subtracting points won or lost for a game to/from the previous point totals rather than averaging game points over a given time period as in the previous version of the World Ranking. The points which are added or subtracted are partially determined by the relative strength of the two opponents, including the logical expectation that teams higher in the ranking should fare better against teams lower in the ranking.”