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ABUJA, FCT — By Prime Brief Media

Nigeria's senior women's national football team, the Super Falcons, has climbed one place to 36th position in the latest FIFA Women's World Ranking, consolidating their position as the undisputed number one team on the African continent.

The ranking update, published by the world football governing body on Tuesday, April 22, 2026, reflects the team's recent international engagements. Since the last ranking release, the Super Falcons played two friendly matches against regional rivals Cameroon in late February and early March 2026, securing positive results that contributed to the marginal improvement in their global standing.

The Super Falcons remain comfortably ahead of their closest African rivals. South Africa's Banyana Banyana, the reigning Women's Africa Cup of Nations champions, occupy 49th position globally, while Morocco's Atlas Lionesses are ranked 52nd. Ghana's Black Queens (54th) and Cameroon's Indomitable Lionesses (56th) complete the top five African teams.

Globally, the United States Women's National Team retains the top spot, followed by Spain, Germany, England, and Sweden rounding out the top five positions.

The Super Falcons' consistency in the upper echelons of African women's football is a testament to the enduring quality of the Nigerian women's game, despite persistent challenges related to funding, infrastructure, and domestic league development. The team has qualified for every edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup since its inception in 1991 and remains the only African team to have reached the quarter-final stage, a feat achieved in 1999.

Reacting to the ranking, a Nigeria Football Federation official who spoke to Prime Brief Media on condition of anonymity expressed satisfaction with the team's continued continental dominance. "The Super Falcons remain the standard-bearers for African women's football. Our objective is not merely to stay ahead in Africa but to close the gap with the top global teams. The technical crew is working on a long-term development plan to achieve this," the official stated.

Attention now turns to the upcoming 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, which will serve as the qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. The Super Falcons will be seeking to reclaim the continental title they last won in 2018.

Prime Brief Media celebrates the continued excellence of Nigeria's Super Falcons and will provide comprehensive coverage of their journey towards the next Women's Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup campaigns.