Palestine push up, Rwanda sting and Hungary rejoice - FIFA/COCA-COLA WORLD RANKING
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| AFP |
With the current 20 best-ranked teams yet to play an A-game in 2016, the top 18 positions remain unchanged for the February edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
Belgium, Argentina and Spain hold their increasingly familiar top three slots while Hungary (19, plus 1) and Turkey (20, plus 1) enter the top 20 thanks to Côte d'Ivoire’s exit (28, minus 9). Hungary’s small increase comes with a massive celebration; Hungary have reached their best ever position since the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking was introduced in 1993.
This month, Scotland (46, plus 6) and Norway (50, plus 4) return to the top 50, strengthening UEFA’s presence in the regional composition of the top 50. UEFA now enjoys representation from 31 of the top 50 teams. Africa loses two teams this month from the top 50, bringing the new total to six, while the representation of the other confederations in the top 50 has not changed for the February Ranking (CONMEBOL: 8; CONCACAF: 4; AFC: 1; OFC: 0).
The three most impressive teams for February’s ranking all come from Asia: Palestine (110, plus 21), Saudi Arabia (55, plus 20) and Korea DPR (95, plus 18) enjoyed the biggest advances since the last world ranking.
Teams from Asia, Africa and Central American dominated the list of teams that improved by more than five positions for February, namely: Cape Verde Islands (33, plus 6), Costa Rica (31, plus 6) , Qatar (78, plus 6), Honduras (91, plus 7), Mozambique (102, plus 7), Belize (120, plus 8), Swaziland (127, plus 6), Kuwait (133, plus 8), and Nepal (188, plus 8).
A special mention goes to Rwanda (85, plus 6) in the latest ranking. The Wasps won three of their six matches played since early January, while also closing out 2015 with a shock-upset over African heavyweights Côte d'Ivoire in an international friendly played on 16 December 2015.
The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 3 March 2016.
Leader
Belgium (unchanged)
Moves into top ten
none
Moves out of top ten
none
Matches played in total
44 (1 of which in 2015)
Most matches played
Rwanda (6 matches)
Biggest move by points
Saudi Arabia (up 97 points)
Biggest move by ranks
Palestine (up 21 ranks)
Biggest drop by points
Côte d'Ivoire (down 122 points)
Biggest drop by ranks
Libya (down 24 ranks)