After the long enforced break due to the COVID-19 emergency, 54 UEFA Nations League matches were played in September. This has resulted in some movement in the FIFA Ranking. Thanks to their win over the Netherlands, which came on the back of a draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina, Roberto Mancini’s Italy have jumped up a place to twelfth. This is good news for the Azzurri, also with the qualifying draw for the 2022 World Cup in mind: the top ten European sides in the FIFA Ranking after November’s matches will be seeded first, each occupying a place in one of the ten groups (Italy are currently seventh).

In the latest Ranking, the top four teams remain the same: Belgium are first, ahead of France, Brazil and England. Portugal are now fifth after jumping up two places thanks to their wins against Croatia and Sweden. Spain (7), the Netherlands (13) and Germany (14) have also climbed one position, while Croatia (8) and Sweden (15) have dropped down two and three places respectively. The next FIFA Ranking will be published on 22 October.

FIFA Ranking: top 15

1. Belgium 1773 points (-1)
2. France 1744 points (-)
3. Brazil 1712 points (-)
4. England 1664 points (-)
5. Portugal 1653 points (+2)
6. Uruguay 1645 points (-1)
7. Spain 1642 points (+1)
8. Croatia 1628 points (-2)
9. Argentina 1623 points (-)
10. Colombia 1622 points (-)
11. Mexico 1621 points (-)
12. ITALY 1612 points (+1)
13. Netherlands 1603 points (+1)
14. Germany 1602 points (+1)
15. Switzerland 1600 points (-3)