Morocco have dropped to seventh place in the live FIFA ranking after the Atlas Lions were held to a 1-1 draw by Mali this Sunday, October 4 at the Grand Stade de Tanger. Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway in the Nations League, meanwhile, earned the European side 5.28 points and contributed to Morocco’s two-place drop.
Portugal’s rise in the ranking is also linked to the importance of the match, with a Nations League victory earning significantly more points than a friendly. The Atlas Lions, who occupied fifth place before Sunday, lost 2.85 points after their draw in Tangier and now have 1,805.34 points in real time.
Read also : Atlas Lions held to draw by Mali as Morocco drops to sixth in FIFA ranking
Morocco had previously occupied seventh place on the eve of the 2026 World Cup, which was then the best ranking in the national team’s history. During the tournament, the Atlas Lions climbed to fifth after their 1-0 win over Scotland on June 20 in the group stage, matching the highest position ever reached by an African national team.
Morocco returned to sixth place at the end of the World Cup after being eliminated in the quarter-finals in the United States, before moving back up to fifth on September 25 following the 1-1 draw between Brazil and Australia.
Now seventh, Morocco also see Portugal move up to fifth, pushing Brazil down to sixth. The top four remain unchanged, with Spain leading the way ahead of Argentina, France and England.
Abdessamad Ezzalzouli lors de l'amical face au Mali, le 4 octobre au Grand Stade de Tanger.
The Atlas Lions end the September international break with two 2-0 victories, against Gabon in Rabat and Lesotho in South Africa, both in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. They also recorded a 1-1 draw against Mali in a friendly.
