The Nigeria women’s national football team have fallen to their lowest FIFA ranking points total in three years, despite moving up one place in the latest women’s world rankings released on Tuesday.
Nigeria climbed from 37th to 36th position globally, but the marginal rise contrasts with a deeper decline in performance metrics. The team now sits on 1602 points, down from 1607 in December 2025, marking their lowest tally since June 2023 when they had 1555 points ahead of the Women’s World Cup.
Following that tournament, the Super Falcons enjoyed a brief surge to 1649 points, rising from 40th to 32nd place. However, their performance trajectory has steadily declined since then, slipping to 1627 points in December 2023 and 1616 points in March 2024 before reaching the current low.
Despite the drop in points, Nigeria remain Africa’s highest ranked women’s team, ahead of rivals such as South Africa, Ghana, Morocco, and Zambia.
At the global level, Spain remain top of the rankings, followed by the United States, while England have moved ahead of Germany into third place. Japan now sit fifth, followed by Sweden, France, and Brazil.
The latest ranking cycle reflects Nigeria’s inconsistent international activity. The team played only a double header friendly against Cameroon in March, losing one match and winning the other, but did not feature in the April international window.
Concerns have also grown over preparation for the upcoming 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for July 25 to August 16, which also serves as qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The Super Falcons are yet to confirm opponents for the June international window, widely seen as their final preparation phase before the tournament. Reports indicate that planned friendlies against Togo and Cape Verde were cancelled, leaving the team without competitive action in key windows.
Team captain Rasheedat Ajibade has publicly questioned the lack of preparation, expressing concern over the team’s readiness compared to other national sides. Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has also highlighted disparities in scheduling and support.
Since qualifying for the 2026 WAFCON, Nigeria have assembled only once for competitive preparation, a two leg friendly against Cameroon in Yaoundé, which ended in a 1-0 loss and a 3-1 win.
The current situation has raised questions about planning, consistency, and long term competitiveness as the Super Falcons approach a crucial international cycle.
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