Football

Kenya rises as Somalia drops in latest FIFA rankings

Kenya's Harambee Stars. The team kicked off their 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a 2-1 away to Gabon at the Stade De Franceville. (Photo: Courtesy)

By Michael Kirwa | Thursday, April 4, 2024

Morocco remains number 1 in Africa while World champions Argentina continue to remain top of the rankings followed by 2022 FIFA World Cup runners-up France in second place.

Kenya has risen to 107 from 111 in the latest FIFA Rankings with their points tally from 1182 to 1191.

The rise comes on the back of impressive 4-0 and 3-1 wins over Malawi and Zimbabwe in the recent Four Nations tournament held in Malawi.

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In the previous ranking cycle, Kenya had dropped to 111 from 110 but the two recent victories saw them garner nine points to see them leap frog Guatemala (108), Madagascar (109), and Mozambique (110).

Kenya is scheduled to play Burundi and Ivory Coast in FIFA World Cup qualifier matches in June and victory in those two games may see the nation break into the top 100 for the first time since September 2017 when Harambee Stars were ranked 88 in the world.

Ivory Coast are the reigning African champions and together with Burundi, Gabon, Gambia, and Seychelles, are one of Harambee Stars opponents in Group F of the CAF region 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Ivory Coast, following their AFCON triumph on home soil in February and recent 2-2 draw with Benin and 2-1 win over Uruguay in friendly matches, moved one place up to 38 in the latest rankings.

Gabon, Gambia, ans Burundi remained unchanged in positions 84, 130, and 140 respectively, while Seychelles rose from 199 to 197.

Closer home, Somalia's recent 3-0 defeat and 2-2 draw in their 2025 AFC Preliminary Round qualifier matches against eSwatini came at cost on their position in the FIFA Rankings as they dropped one place to 199. The lowest ranked country in the world is San Marino who are position 210.

Somalia had maintained position 198 with 846 points in the three previous ranking cycles but the latest ranking has also seen their points drop to 842.64.

With Eritrea not ranked, Somalia is the lowest ranked nation in the CECAFA region.

Uganda, who maintained position 192, are the CECAFA region's highest ranked nation followed by Kenya.

Tanzania follow Kenya in position 119.

The other CECAFA region countries are ranked as follows: Sudan (127, unchanged), Rwanda (131, rose from 133), Burundi (140, unchanged), Ethiopia (145, unchanged), South Sudan (167, dropped from 166), and Djibouti (192, unchanged).

World champions Argentina continue to remain top of the rankings followed by 2022 FIFA World Cup runners-up France in second place.

The rest of the top 10 has: Belgium (3), England (4), Brazil (5), Portugal (6), Netherlands (7), Spain (8), Italy (9), and Croatia (10).

Despite dropping one place to 13, Morocco remains Africa's highest ranked country.