Friday 15 March 2024, 09:00

Spain soaring, Solomon Islands climbing

  • Spain consolidate top spot in FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking

  • Record 193 national teams now ranked

  • Solomon Islands the highest climbers

Qualification for the Olympic Women’s Football Tournament Paris 2024 has been the focal point for national teams in the OFC, UEFA and AFC in the first three months of the year. Elsewhere, the 2024 West Asian Football Federation Women’s Championship and the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup have also been taking place.

In total, 126 international matches have been played during the period so far, prompting more than a few changes in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking.

FIFA Women's Ranking March 2024

Leaders Spain (1st) have extended their advantage over their nearest challenger, which is now England (2nd, up 2). Though beaten in the UEFA Nations League final by La Roja, France (3rd) retain their place in the global top three.

Despite being crowned Concacaf champions on 10 March, USA (4th, down 2) slip out of that top three, paying a heavy price for a 2-0 group-phase defeat to Mexico. Germany (5th, up 1) move into the top 5, while Brazil (10th, up 1) slot back into a top 10 that also features Sweden (6th, down 1), Japan (7th, up 1), Netherlands (8th, down 1) and Canada (9th, up 1).

Mexico (31st, up 4) and Slovenia (41st, up 3) are the highest climbers in the top 50, though the biggest moves of all are to be found further down the Ranking. Zambia (65th, up 5), Puerto Rico (85th, up 18) and Kosovo (91st, up 9) have each hit all-time highs, while Solomon Islands (88th, up 21) make the biggest jump of all, following wins over American Samoa, Fiji and Samoa.

LeadersSpain
Moves into top 10Brazil (11th to 10th)
Moves out of top 10Korea DPR (9th to 11th)
Total number of matches played126
Most matches playedBrazil, USA (6)
Biggest move by pointsSolomon Islands (up 78.84)
Biggest move by placesSolomon Islands (up 21)
Biggest drop by pointsNetherlands (down 35.03)
Biggest drop by placesSamoa (down 10)
Newly ranked teams Iraq
Teams no longer rankedNone

In the process, Zambia, Puerto Rico, Kosovo and Solomon Islands have all achieved their highest ever points totals, as have Spain, El Salvador, Nepal, Lebanon, Tanzania and Saudi Arabia.

Finally, Iraq (172nd) have now joined the World Ranking, which now features a record 193 national teams. That figure could be eclipsed in June, with six more teams just one official match away from joining, namely Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Gibraltar, Libya and Sudan.

Click here to view the full ranking.

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking will be published on 14 June 2024.