World champions Spain supplant Argentina to top FIFA rankings

Spain players cradle the World Cup trophy during celebrations at Cibeles Square in Madrid on July 20, 2026. [AFP]

Newly crowned world champions Spain replaced beaten finalists Argentina at the top of the FIFA rankings released Monday.

La Roja, who had surrendered top spot in April, surged back to number one after beating Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final in New York on Sunday.

France, beaten 6-4 by England in the third-place play-off in the United States, are ranked third, with the English in fourth.

Brazil (fifth, up 1) and Morocco (sixth, up 1) both leapfrog Portugal (seventh, down 2), who were eliminated in the round of 16 by the eventual winners.

Quarter-finalists Belgium (eighth, up 1) move ahead of their neighbours the Netherlands (ninth, down 1) while co-hosts Mexico (10th, up 4) return to the top 10 for the first time since March 2022 at the expense of Germany (12th, down 2), who were knocked out of the World Cup by Paraguay.

Two of the other teams who made waves on North American soil are among the biggest climbers.

Switzerland (14th, up 5) move up thanks to their run to the last eight, a feat matched by Norway (19th, up 12).