Latest FIFA Ranking: Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire, Egypt Move 2 Places Up, Ghana Drop Down

The Super Eagles have moved two places up in the monthly Fifa ranking released on Thursday morning
Nigeria have moved up to the 45th position in the latest Fifa global rankings released on Thursday.

Ghana dropped three places down.

The Black Stars are now ranked the 38th best team in the world after moving up two places for the March edition.

Europe occupies the top three places on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking after Portugal climbed third behind leaders Spain and Germany.

They are followed by four South American sides in Colombia, (4th, up 1), Uruguay (5th, up 1) and fierce rivals Argentina (down 3) and Brazil (up 3), who share sixth position. Just 12 points separate this quartet.

Greece return to the top ten for the first time since October 2012, while Scotland moved up 15 places to the 22nd position in the world.

Ivory Coast remain the highest ranked African country and 21st in the world. The country moved up three places this month.

Egypt also moved up two spots to finish in 24th position in the world and second in Africa. They are followed by Algeria in 25, Ghana 38, Cape Verde 42, Tunisia 49, Cameroon 50, Guinea 51 and Mali 59 to round up the African top ten.

Nigeria’s World Cup Group F opponents are ranked thus: Argentina 6, Bosnia-Herzegovina 25 and Iran 37.

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 8 May.

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FIFA Increases World Cup Prize Money

FIFA, the world football governing body, has announced new prize money for the 2014 World Cup and hosts of future age-group events.

It said in a statement, following its executive committee meeting on Thursday, that there would be new prize money of 576 million dollars (about N95 billion) for next year’s tournament.

This was an increase of 37 per cent in comparison with the 420 million dollars (about N69 billion) on offer for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The winner in Brazil will receive 35 million dollars, followed by 25 million dollars for the runners-up.

Twenty-two million dollars and 20 million dollars will be for the third- and fourth-placed teams respectively, and 14 million dollars for the quarter-finalists.

The governing body also announced that South Korea would host the U-20 World Cup in 2017, with South Africa staging the U-20 Women’s World Cup a year earlier.

India will have an opportunity to showcase its credentials as a major event destination by hosting the U-17 World Cup in 2017, while Jordan will hold the U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2016.

The governing body added that Mexico City and Kuala Lumpur would stage the FIFA Congress in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Meanwhile, Nigeria has been grouped in Group F with Argentina, Iran and Bosnia Herzegovina in the 2014 World Cup draw held on Friday in Brazil.

According to the draw, Nigeria will play its first match against Iran in the group match.

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