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Rabat – Morocco have moved into sixth place in FIFA’s live men’s world ranking following Portugal’s 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup.
The latest live table places the Atlas Lions on 1,755.62 points, narrowly ahead of Portugal, who dropped to seventh with 1,755.09.
Only 0.53 points now separate the two teams.
Portugal entered the World Cup ranked fifth, but their failure to beat the much lower-ranked Congolese side cost them 12.76 points and two places in the live standings.
Brazil moved into fifth, while Morocco climbed one position without playing on Wednesday.
A new high for Morocco
Morocco entered the tournament in seventh place following FIFA’s official ranking update on June 11.
That position was already the highest achieved by the Atlas Lions since the world ranking system was introduced in 1993.
Moving provisionally into sixth therefore represents another historic step for Moroccan football.
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However, FIFA makes a distinction between its live table and official ranking releases. Live positions can change after every international match and remain unofficial until all games are approved as senior “A” internationals.
The next official men’s ranking is scheduled to be published on July 20, after the World Cup.
Morocco must therefore maintain its position through the rest of the tournament for sixth place to become an official national record.
Portugal Pay Price for DR Congo Draw
Portugal took an early lead against DR Congo through João Neves, but Yoane Wissa equalized shortly before halftime.
Despite controlling possession and pushing for a winner, Roberto Martinez’s team could not break down the Congolese defense.
Because FIFA’s ranking system considers the result, the strength of the opponent, the importance of the match and the expected outcome, Portugal lost a significant number of points for drawing with a lower-ranked team.
FIFA uses an Elo-based calculation, meaning highly ranked nations risk losing more points when they fail to defeat opponents they were expected to beat.
Morocco can strengthen position
Morocco began their World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Brazil after producing one of the strongest performances of the opening round.
Ismael Saibari gave the Atlas Lions the lead before Vinicius Junior equalized for Brazil.
Mohamed Ouahbi’s team will next face Scotland on June 19 before completing the group stage against Haiti on June 24.
Positive results in those matches could help Morocco protect or improve their live position.
The Atlas Lions also remain Africa’s highest-ranked national team, reflecting their steady rise following the historic run to the 2022 World Cup semifinals and their recent performances on the international stage.
