Harambee Stars have dropped one place in the latest FIFA rankings following their draws against Burundi and Ivory Coast.
The Kenya men's national football team Harambee Stars have fallen one place in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, slipping from position 107 to 108 with 1191.24 points.
This decline follows their inability to secure a victory in their recent World Cup qualifiers against Ivory Coast and Burundi, held at the Bingu National Stadium in Malawi last week.
Harambee Stars currently sit fourth in Group F of the 2026 CAF FIFA World Cup qualifiers with five points, trailing group leaders Ivory Coast by five points. The disappointing results in their recent qualifiers have impacted their standing on the global stage.
In contrast, Namibia has shown significant improvement, jumping nine places to 97th position following their draws against Liberia and Tunisia. Liberia themselves have made a remarkable leap, moving up ten places to 142nd, making them the most improved nation in Africa.
While Kenya experienced a minor drop, the top three positions in the FIFA rankings remain unchanged, with Argentina retaining the top spot, followed by France and Belgium.
However, there have been movements within the top ten: Brazil has climbed to fourth place, swapping places with England, which has dropped to fifth.
Portugal, the Netherlands, and Spain maintain their positions in sixth, seventh, and eighth respectively. Croatia has overtaken Italy to secure ninth place, pushing Italy down to tenth.
Significant movements are also noted in the top 100, with notable surges from Ghana (64th, up 4), Honduras (78th, up 4), Haiti (86th, up 4), Curaçao (87th, up 4), and Benin (91st, up 6). Namibia's remarkable nine-place jump to 97th position is particularly noteworthy.
The second half of the rankings also saw considerable changes. Mozambique (103rd, up 7), Madagascar (104th, up 5), Korea DPR (110th, up 8), Sudan (121st, up 6), Nicaragua (130th, up 5), and Gibraltar (198th, up 5) all improved their standings.
Liberia's impressive ten-place rise to 142nd marks the most significant improvement, with the Lone Stars remaining unbeaten in 2024.
The latest rankings reflect performances up to June 2024, excluding recent matches from continental competitions in Europe and Oceania.
Despite the setback for Harambee Stars, there is optimism within the team and its supporters as they continue their journey in the World Cup qualifiers.
The rise of other African teams, such as Namibia and Liberia, highlights the competitive nature of the continent's football landscape. As the qualifiers progress, Harambee Stars will aim to regroup and improve their standing in the upcoming matches.
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