Spain Becomes FIFA World No. 1 After Strong Start to 2026 Qualifiers

Spain reclaimed the top spot in FIFA's men’s world rankings on Thursday, ascending to number one for the first time since June 2014 after a two-win start to 2026 World Cup qualifying. The move follows Spain’s victories over Turkey and Bulgaria and Argentina’s shock 1-0 defeat to Ecuador in South American qualifying, which dropped the 2022 world champions to third place and opened the door for France to move into second.

FIFA’s update put Spain on 1,875.37 points, with France on 1,870.92 and Argentina on 1,870.32, leaving the top three separated by barely five points. Spain’s rise caps a sustained rebuilding under coach Luis de la Fuente, who took charge in December 2022 after Spain’s early exit at the Qatar World Cup. Since his arrival the team has recorded a long unbeaten run in competitive fixtures, collected a string of tournament successes including Euro 2024 and the 2023 Nations League, and reached the Nations League final in 2025.

Argentina’s slide in the rankings reflected a disappointing qualifying result in Quito, where reports said the Albicelestes lost 1-0 to Ecuador. France moved up after wins over Ukraine and Iceland, while England remained fourth. Portugal climbed...