Argentina are set to return to the top of the FIFA Men’s World Rankings just days before the start of the 2026 World Cup. According to the latest calculations, Lionel Scaloni’s side will officially reclaim the number one FIFA Ranking when FIFA releases its next official update on June 10.
The defending champions had slipped to third place in the April 2026 rankings behind France and Spain. However, results from recent international friendlies have shifted the standings in Argentina’s favour.
How Argentina Jumped Back to No.1
Spain drew 1-1 with Iraq, while France suffered a shock defeat to Côte d’Ivoire. These results caused both European sides to drop points in the FIFA ranking model. As a result, Argentina will move ahead of both teams even without playing their own friendly against Honduras on June 6.
According to current projections:
- Argentina will have approximately 1,874 points
- Spain will drop to around 1,873 points
- France will fall further to about 1,869 points
This means Argentina will start the 2026 World Cup as the highest-ranked team in the world for the first time since they briefly lost the top spot earlier this year.
What This Means for the World Cup
Entering the tournament as the No.1 ranked side adds extra pressure — but also confidence — for Argentina. The Albiceleste are the defending champions and will be among the clear favourites alongside Spain and France.
Interestingly, Lionel Messi is now just one tournament away from potentially becoming the first player in history to win the World Cup while ranked No.1 at the start of the competition in two different cycles (he was also No.1 going into Qatar 2022).
Projected Top 5 (After June 10 Update)
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1 ↑ 2 | Argentina | 1874.81 |
| 2 | Spain | 1873.01 |
| 3 ↓ 2 | France | 1869.43 |
| 4 | England | 1825.97 |
| 5 | Portugal | 1763.83 |
| 6 | Brazil | 1762.66 |
| 7 ↑ 1 | Morocco | 1756.94 |
| 8 ↓ 1 | Netherlands | 1751.10 |
| 9 | Belgium | 1739.55 |
| 10 | Germany | 1731.30 |
The gap at the very top remains extremely tight, with less than 10 points separating the top three teams.
With the World Cup kicking off on June 11 in Mexico, Argentina will head into the tournament with momentum and the psychological boost of being ranked number one in the world once again.
