Uganda climbs to 90th in latest FIFA rankings after impressive AFCON qualifiers

By Emmanuel Sekago

In the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, September 19th, 2024, Uganda has made significant progress, climbing five places to reach 90th position globally with 1,257.64 points. This improvement reflects the recent strong performances by the Uganda Cranes in the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Uganda’s rise in the rankings comes after two crucial matches. The Cranes secured a 2-2 draw against South Africa in Johannesburg, followed by a 2-0 victory over Congo Brazzaville in Kampala. These results have bolstered Uganda’s standing in the global football scene and cemented its place as the top-ranked team within the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Zone.

Other CECAFA nations also made gains in the latest rankings. Kenya climbed six places to 102nd with 1,208.96 points, while Tanzania improved by three positions, reaching 110th with 1,188.24 points. These improvements are attributed to their strong performances in the ongoing 2025 AFCON qualifiers.

Despite Uganda’s lead in the CECAFA region, Sudan (ranked 120th) and Rwanda (ranked 130th) follow in fourth and fifth positions, respectively. Eritrea remains unranked due to their absence from several FIFA-organized tournaments.

Globally, world champions Argentina retain their top spot with 1,889.02 points, followed by France in second place with 1,851.92 points. On the African continent, Morocco, ranked 14th globally with 1,676.14 points, remains Africa’s highest-ranked team.

Uganda’s continued rise in the FIFA rankings is a testament to the team’s resilience and improving form, bringing hope to Ugandan football fans as they edge closer to qualifying for the 2025 AFCON tournament.