Malta remains 176th in FIFA Ranking

Malta remained 176th in FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking which was published on Thursday.

Malta is 51st in Europe, lying ahead of Moldova (177), Liechtenstein (181), Gibraltar (195) and San Marino (210).

The next commitments for the national team led by Devis Mangia are next month as Malta hosts Russia on March 24 before facing Slovakia on March 27 and Croatia on March 30 in two matches away from home.

Meanwhile in the first FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of 2021, a total of 43 full internationals (including one played in December 2020) were taken into account. The standout tournament in recent weeks has been the African Nations Championship (CHAN), where a total of 32 games took place. These fixtures as well as the other 11 games played have been classified as friendlies, because only players competing in the national championships of the participating countries are eligible to take part in the CHAN.

In the standings, CHAN winners Morocco (33rd, + 2), and runners-up Mali (54th, + 3) have made the most progress. Third-placed Guinea (72nd, + 1) and quarter-finalists Congo (90th, + 1) have also advanced.

Other teams moving in the right direction include Costa Rica (50th, + 1), currently back in the Top 50 after an absence of several months, Cape Verde (80th, + 1), Oman (81st, + 1), Benin (82nd, + 1), Azerbaijan (108th, + 1), Estonia (108th, + 1), Thailand (110th, + 1), Guinea-Bissau (119th, + 1), Tajikistan (120th, + 1) and Guatemala (130th, + 1).

Those teams aside, no other country has enhanced its position since December, and the Top 32 places in the standings remain unchanged since the end of 2020. Belgium, France, Brazil, England and Portugal continue to occupy the top spots, with the leading trio of Belgium, France and Brazil only separated by 37 points.

The fight for top spot promises to be an exciting one this year with a string of major tournaments scheduled (Copa America, UEFA EURO and Concacaf Gold Cup) as well as the resumption of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 202.