Canadian men close out the year unchanged at No. 27 in FIFA world rankings

Canada forward Cyle Larin (17) celebrates his goal against Honduras with teammates during first half CONCACAF Nations League soccer action in Toronto on Tuesday, March 28, 2023. World Cup winner Argentina topped the latest FIFA rankings for the first time in six years while the Canadian men, boosted by CONCACAF Nations League wins over Curaçao and Honduras, climbed six places to No. 47. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette .

The Canadian men will finish the year unchanged at No. 27 in the FIFA world rankings.

While it is not Canada’s highest-ever ranking — Jesse Marsch’s team reached No. 26 in September, falling two places in October then climbing one rung in November — it marks the highest-ever year-end position for the men.

The Canadians, idle in the latest ranking period, finished 2024 at No. 31, 2023 at No. 48, 2022 at No. 53, 2021 at No. 40 and 2020 at No. 72.

Canada will face No. 17 Switzerland (unchanged) and No. 54 Qatar (down three places) in Group B play at next year’s World Cup. Canada’s group will be completed by the winner of a European playoff featuring No. 12 Italy, No. 32 Wales, No. 69 Northern Ireland and No. 71 Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The latest rankings see little movement after just 42 international fixtures (compared to 149 games in the November rankings period), with the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar centre stage. The top 33 teams are unchanged with Algeria moving up to No. 34, swapping places with Egypt.

Spain, which took over No. 1 from Argentina in September, remains in top spot ahead of Argentina, France, England and Brazil. Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Croatia make up the rest of the top 10.

Morocco, winner of the FIFA Arab Cup, stands No. 11, just shy of breaking into the top 10 for the first time since April 1998.

Jordan, which lost 3-2 to Morocco after extra time in the Arab Cup final, moves up two spots to No. 64 while No. 107 Vietnam and No. 148 Singapore each climb three places.

Kosovo is the year’s biggest mover, finishing 2025 at No. 80 — an improvement of 19 places from the 2024 year-end. Kosovo went 7-1-2 in 2025

No. 29 Norway and No. 123 Suriname both have climbed 15 places since the December 2024 rankings.

The other World Cup co-hosts were unchanged with the U.S. at No. 14 and Mexico at No. 15. Canada remains third in North and Central America and the Caribbean, above No. 30 Panama.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 22, 2025

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press