Thursday 18 January 2018, 08:51

Kuwait & Tunisia climb as top ten hold firm

With just 22 matches played, all friendlies, since the December edition, it is no surprise to see few significant changes in the first FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of 2018.

Germany remain at the summit of a static top ten, while Iceland (20, up 2) are the only team to enter the top 20, with the Netherlands (21, down 1) dropping out.

Croatia (15th, up 2) also made some ground, and there were more substantial rises further down the order. Tunisia (23rd, up 4), for example, built on the gains made during their successful FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, while Kuwait (174, up 15), Sudan (124, up 12), and El Salvador (90, up 10) all registered double-digit jumps.

Congratulations are also due to Chinese Taipei (134, up 1), Lebanon (84, up 1), and Palestine (75, up 5), all of whom reached their best-ever Ranking positions.

*The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 15 February 2018.

Leader

Germany

Moves into top ten

None

Moves out of top ten

None

Matches played in total

22 (14 of which were in 2017)

Most matches played

Bahrain, Oman, United Arab Emirates (5 matches each)

Biggest move by points

Tunisia (up 77 points)

Biggest move by ranks

Kuwait (up 15 ranks)

Biggest drop by points

Haiti (down 204 points)

Biggest drop by ranks

Suriname (down 32 ranks)

Newly ranked teams

None

Teams that are no longer ranked

None

Inactive teams, not ranked

None