Canada has moved up one place to 48th in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings.
The top three remain unchanged: Argentina, Canada’s opponent in the opening game of the Copa America tournament in Atlanta on Thursday, remains number one, France is second and Belgium is third.
However, there are changes in the rest of the top 10. Brazil overtakes England to move up to fourth place. Portugal, the Netherlands and Spain remain unchanged behind England (number 5), while Croatia moves up one place to number 9 at the expense of Italy (now number 10).
Peru and Chile, Canada’s other two opponents in Group A at the Copa America, have improved in the new rankings. Peru climbed one place to 31st and Chile climbed two places to 40th.
According to the new rankings, Canada is ranked 11th among the 16 participating Copa America teams.
The Canadian men’s highest placing was 33rd, achieved in February 2022.
It has been a busy period with AFC, CAF and CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers and warm-up matches ahead of Euro 2024, the Copa America and the OFC Men’s Nations Cup. According to FIFA, 187 matches have been played since the last rankings in April, with Canada taking part in two of them, losing 4-0 to the Netherlands and drawing 0-0 with France.
The biggest climber was Liberia, which rose ten places to 142nd place. The team known as the “Lone Stars” remained undefeated in 2024. Other climbers were Namibia (up nine), North Korea (up eight), Mozambique (up seven), Sudan (up six), Madagascar (up five), Gibraltar (up five), No. 104.
The United States remains unchanged at 11th in the CONCACAF rankings, which cover North and Central America and the Caribbean. Mexico fell one place to 15th, while Panama rose two places to 43rd.
Other CONCACAF advancers were No. 78 Honduras (up four), No. 130 Nicaragua (up five), No. 86 Haiti and No. 87 Curaçao (both up four).
Equatorial Guinea suffered the biggest decline, losing ten places and now ranks 98th.
The next editions of the rankings will be published on July 18th.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2024.
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