With most of the top teams in the world playing in two World Cup qualifiers, we knew that the FIFA rankings would yield some changes.
While the top six is expected to remain the same, the rest of the order has radically changed. Spain and Peru is expected to move into the top 10 while Switzerland and Colombia drop out.
Germany holds onto the top spot with Brazil just behind. Portugal, Argentina and Belgium round out the top five as the point margins didn’t really change among them. Poland stays at six while France moved up a spot to seventh. Spain moved up three spots to eighth while Chile, the highest ranked team eliminated from the World Cup, stays in ninth. Peru rounds out the top ten as they must play New Zealand in a playoff.
Even though they were eliminated from the World Cup, the United States somehow gained a spot and have moved up to 27. I’m sure this doesn’t really mean anything because they have been eliminated but they seem to be stationary on the outside of the top 25 for now.
We have the top 30 which is expected to be the order when FIFA reveals the list Monday. After processing the point totals for the top 50, this top 30 isn’t 100% guaranteed. There is a chance where some team gains 30 or so spots and gets in the top 30, but that is unlikely to happen. So this is most likely going to be the list.
1) Germany – 1631 points, 1606 points last month, +0 positions from last month (Qualified)
2) Brazil – 1619 points, 1590 points last month, +0 positions from last month (Qualified)
3) Portugal – 1446 points, 1386 points last month, +0 positions from last month (Qualified)
4) Argentina – 1445 points, 1325 points last month, +0 positions from last month (Qualified)
5) Belgium – 1333 points, 1265 points last month, +0 positions from last month (Qualified)
6) Poland – 1323 points, 1250 points last month, +0 positions from last month (Qualified)
7) France – 1226 points, 1208 points last month, +1 position from last month (Qualified)
8) Spain – 1218 points, 1184 points last month, +3 positions from last month (Qualified)
9) Chile – 1173 points, 1195 points last month, +0 positions from last month
10) Peru – 1160 points, 1103 points last month, +2 positions from last month (Playoff vs. New Zealand)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKrQHc9qeyk
11) Switzerland – 1135 points, 1210 points last month, -4 positions from last month (European Playoff)
12) England – 1116 points, 1056 points last month, +3 positions from last month (Qualified)
13) Colombia – 1095 points, 1191 points last month, -3 positions from last month (Qualified)
14) Wales – 1072 points, 1089 points last month, -1 position from last month
15) Italy – 1066 points, 1035 points last month, +2 positions from last month (European Playoff)
16) Mexico – 1060 points, 1085 points last month, -2 positions from last month (Qualified)
17) Uruguay – 1034 points, 1043 points last month, -1 position from last month (Qualified)
18) Croatia – 1013 points, 977 points last month, +0 positions from last month (European Playoff)
19) Denmark – 1001 points, 848 points last month, +7 positions from last month (European Playoff)
20) Netherlands – 931 points, 819 points last month, +9 positions from last month
21) Iceland – 920 points, 931 points last month, +1 position from last month (Qualified)
22) Costa Rica – 914 points, 936 points last month, -1 position from last month (Qualified)
23) Northern Ireland – 889 points, 945 points last month, -3 positions from last month (European Playoff)
24) Slovakia – 885 points, 967 points last month, -5 positions from last month
25) Sweden – 872 points, 918 points last month, -2 positions from last month (European Playoff)
26) Republic of Ireland – 866 points, 769 points last month, +8 positions from last month (European Playoff)
27) United States – 843 points, 828 points last month, +1 position from last month
28) Tunisia – 834 points, 810 points last month, +3 positions from last month (African Qualifying)
29) Scotland – 821 points, 702 points last month, +14 positions from last month
30) Ukraine – 818 points, 888 points last month, -6 positions from last month
The October FIFA ranking is also the ranking used to determine who is in which pot for the 2018 World Cup. And instead of putting the best teams in Pot 1 and separating everyone by region in the other three pots, all four pots will be determined by FIFA ranking with hosts Russia in position A1.
While there are still nine World Cup spots left for grabs, we can figure out which pot most teams will be in. In addition, Pot 1 is already set as all eight teams are set.
Pot 1 – Set
Russia (Host)
Germany
Brazil
Portugal
Argentina
Belgium
Poland
France
Pot 2
Spain
England
Colombia
Mexico
Uruguay
Peru (European Playoff)
Switzerland (European Playoff)
Italy (European Playoff)
Pot 2 or 3
Iceland
Costa Rica
Croatia (European Playoff)
Denmark (European Playoff)
Northern Ireland (European Playoff)
Pot 3
Egypt
Iran
Tunisia or Congo DR (African WCQ)
Sweden (European Playoff)
Ireland (European Playoff)
Senegal (African WCQ)
Pot 3 or 4
Serbia
Nigeria
Japan
Australia (Playoff vs Honduras)
Pot 4
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
Panama
Greece (European Playoff)
Morocco or Ivory Coast (African WCQ)
Burkina Faso, Cape Verde or South Africa (African WCQ)
Honduras (Playoff vs Australia)
New Zealand (Playoff vs Peru)
