Ahead of finalising the draws for the 2022 World Cup, the FIFA rankings for April have been released. The teams that have already qualified seem to have been given a slight advantage. In this article, we take a look at the top ten countries in the FIFA rankings.
Top 10 countries in April’s FIFA rankings
10. Netherlands – 1658.66 points
The Dutch have gained 4.93 points since February, having qualified for the World Cup at the end of 2021. They recently played Germany and Denmark in friendlies, drawing 1-1 and winning 4-2 respectively.
9. Mexico – 1658.82 points
While they haven’t been at their best, Mexico are still ahead of the USA in the rankings. They are the only newcomers in the top ten, having tipped Denmark and Netherlands. They have gained 10.92 points since the February rankings.
8. Portugal – 1674.78 points
The biggest gainers in the April FIFA rankings are Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, who earned 14.53 points. They have qualified for the World Cup as well, winning their final against North Macedonia.
7. Spain – 1709.19 points
Spain remain in seventh place in the FIFA rankings with 4.44 points gained since February. They earned qualification for the World Cup last year, and have been able to win both their subsequent friendlies.
6. Italy – 1723.31 points
The Azzurri missed out on a second consecutive World Cup after being eliminated by North Macedonia. They somehow remain sixth, but have had 17.46 points deducted, making them the biggest losers in the top 10.
5. England – 1761.71 points
England played two friendlies after qualifying for the World Cup last year. They have been awarded 6.19 points in the FIFA rankings, and are fifth after wins against Switzerland and Ivory Coast.
4. Argentina – 1765.13 points
FIFA have deducted 1.86 points for their draw against Ecuador, despite winning against Venezuela by a 3-0 margin in their final two CONMEBOL qualifiers.
3. France – 1789.85 points
The defending champions of the world head into the World Cup as one of the top three countries in the FIFA rankings. They beat Ivory Coast 2-1 before putting five goals past South Africa in a 5-0 win.The pair of victories have allowed them to gain 3.70 points in the latest world rankings.
2. Belgium – 1827 points
Belgium have been replaced as the number one team in the FIFA rankings for the first time in three-and-a-half years. They have been decked 1.45 points for their draw against Ireland, and it will be interesting to see how they respond in June.
1. Brazil – 1832.69 points
The Selecao have returned to the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time since 2017. Having defeated Chile and Bolivia 4-0, they gained 9.27 points which helps them claim the top spot in the rankings.
