DR ‹ › The Moroccan women's national football team has slipped two spots to conclude the year ranked 66th globally, as per the latest rankings published by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) on Thursday. With a record of one victory, one draw, and two defeats in friendly matches, the Atlas Lionesses close the December rankings with 1399.54 points, marking a decrease of 7.68 points from their previous standing. In Africa, the Atlas Lionesses hold the 5th position. The continent's rankings are led by Nigeria (37th globally, down 1 place) and South Africa (55th, down 1), followed by Ghana (62nd, up 5) and Zambia (65th, up 1). World champions Spain (1st, unchanged) have maintained their top position after securing the UEFA Women's Nations League title, a spot they reclaimed in August. Germany (3rd, up 2) has shown the most notable improvement. Meanwhile, the United States (2nd, unchanged) retains its second place, bolstered by two friendly victories against Italy in their final matches of the year. These wins were crucial after the Stars and Stripes suffered a defeat to Portugal in October. Despite remaining near the top, Sweden (5th) has dropped two places following a loss to Spain in the Nations League semi-final. France (7th, down 1) and Canada (10th, down 1) have also slipped in the rankings. Conversely, Brazil (6th, up 1), the host of the 2027 Women's World Cup, and North Korea (9th, up 1) have climbed the ranks. Further down the list, notable advancements include Nicaragua (96th), Burkina Faso (118th), and American Samoa (137th), each rising 16 places. American Samoa achieved the highest points gain since the last edition, with significant victories over the Cook Islands and Tonga. Chad and Libya have made their debut in the rankings, thanks to their participation in the FIFA Unites events held in Morocco. These new entries bring the total to 198 member associations in the Women's World Rankings, setting a new record.
