FIFA Ranking: Black Stars rise to 65th position after win over Panama

Ghana’s Black Stars have climbed to 65th in the latest FIFA world rankings following their opening victory over Panama at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The four-time African champions have moved up eight places from 73rd after securing all three points in their first group match, marking a positive start to their campaign in North America.

Caleb Yirenkyi scored the decisive goal on Wednesday night at the BMO Field in Toronto, sealing a narrow 1–0 win for Carlos Queiroz’s side and lifting morale within the squad.

The result places Ghana second in Group L, behind England, who began their tournament with an emphatic 4–2 win over Croatia.

Ghana entered the competition among the lowest-ranked teams in the tournament but have quickly made gains after just one match, reflecting the impact of their opening performance on the global standings.

Elsewhere in the rankings, France have moved ahead of Spain into second place, while Germany now sit ninth. Co-hosts Mexico and the United States also recorded improvements, climbing to 13th and 15th, respectively.

There were further shifts across the table, with Austria, the Republic of Korea and Australia occupying 21st, 22nd and 23rd positions.

Norway are ranked 27th, while Côte d’Ivoire have moved up to 30th. DR Congo, following a 1–1 draw with Portugal, now sit 43rd, with Cape Verde just one place above Ghana.

Attention now turns to Ghana’s upcoming fixtures, starting with a high-profile clash against England at Gillette Stadium on June 23, before they conclude their group-stage campaign against Croatia four days later.

The Black Stars will be aiming to build on their strong start as they pursue a return to the knockout stages for the first time since their memorable quarter-final run in 2010.