Morocco is closing in on a historic return to the world’s top 10 football nations. In the latest FIFA rankings released on Monday, December 22, the Atlas Lions held firm at 11th place with 1,716.34 points—just a razor-thin 0.54-point gap behind 10th-ranked Croatia. This marks the closest the Moroccan national team has come to breaking into the top 10 since April 1998.
The steady climb is largely credited to the team’s strong performance at the FIFA Arab Cup, which they won on December 18 in Qatar. With five victories and one draw throughout the tournament, the national squad earned an additional 3.22 points compared to November’s ranking, cementing their upward trajectory on the global stage.
This December update is the final ranking of the year and is based on 42 international matches, most of which were played during the Arab Cup. However, it does not yet reflect Morocco’s recent win against Comoros in the opening match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, held on December 21 in Rabat. That result will be factored into the next update.
At the top of the global standings, Spain has overtaken Argentina thanks to its strong showing during the September qualifiers. France holds on to third, followed by England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany—all of whom maintain their spots in the top 10.
With momentum on their side and a home tournament underway, the Atlas Lions are now within striking distance of a symbolic milestone. As they continue their run in the Africa Cup of Nations, fans across Morocco will be hoping to see the team break through into the elite ranks of world football once again.
