The Morocco national football team continues its steady rise in the FIFA rankings, benefiting from a setback suffered by a direct competitor during the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The Atlas Lions are now closing in on the world’s elite, moving step by step toward a place in the top five of the global standings.
A historic rise for african football
Morocco has now climbed to 6th place in the FIFA ranking, marking a historic milestone for an African national team. The achievement comes after a rapid progression that saw the Atlas Lions move up two places in less than two weeks, having previously sat in 8th position. The latest leap follows Portugal being held to a draw in their opening World Cup match against DR Congo (1-1), a result that had a direct impact on the global ranking dynamics.
Top five within reach
With this new position, Morocco is now just behind Brazil, which occupies fifth place. The gap between the two nations has narrowed, raising the possibility of another historic breakthrough should results continue to go in Morocco’s favor. A place in the top five would represent an unprecedented achievement for African football.
Competitive momentum at the World Cup
The ranking progression also reflects Morocco’s strong performances at the tournament itself. On June 13, during their opening Group C match at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, the Atlas Lions faced Brazil in a high-profile encounter. Morocco opened the scoring through Ismael Saibari in the 21st minute before Vinícius Júnior equalized in the 32nd minute for the five-time world champions.
Morocco will continue its group stage campaign on Friday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough against Scotland, while Brazil face Haiti in their next fixture. This continued upward trajectory reinforces Morocco’s growing reputation on the global stage, as the team establishes itself among the most competitive national sides in world football and pushes toward an unprecedented position in the FIFA hierarchy.
