- Nigeria & Cameroon move up
- South Africa & Morocco unmoved
- Rankings decide World Cup seedings
WHAT HAPPENED? The Super Falcons, Banyana Banyana, and Copper Queens have learned their fate in October’s rankings released by the Federation of International Football Association on Thursday. Nigeria moved a step up to 45th in the world and no. 1 in Africa while reigning Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions South Africa are motionless in the period under review to stay as the second-best team in Africa and no. 54 in the world. Also, Zambia maintained their previous position – as the 10th-best team in Africa and the 81st-best team on the globe.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The changes to the African teams in the latest ratings was used to determine the seedings for the draw for the Fifa Women’s World Cup billed for Australia and New Zealand 2023. The draw ceremony will take place in Auckland on 22 October, with the draw for the Play-Off Tournament taking place eight days earlier.
WHAT MORE? Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Morocco, Zambia and the three Player-off winners have been placed in Pot four of the global football showpiece, meaning they will avoid one another during the competition.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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NFF mediaDID YOU KNOW? At 18 years and eight months, Nigeria boast the youngest team in the history of the Women’s World Cup at the 1991 edition.
WHAT NEXT FOR THE AFRICAN TEAMS? The quartet would be hoping for a favourable draw later this month.