FIFA Rankings: Why South Africa Dropped One Place Despite Finishing Third in AFCON 2023

• South Africa dropped to 59th in the latest FIFA ranking
• Bafana clinched bronze in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
• They drew against Andorra and Algieria in the Fifa Series

Bafana Bafana slipped to 59th in the latest FIFA ranking, raising questions about their recent performances.

Despite an eight-match unbeaten streak, Hugo Broos' squad failed to ascend as expected, even though they finished third in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The anticipated climb into the top 50 did not materialize, and the reason was apparent.

Bafana's ascent was stunted due to their limited success within regulation time during the AFCON matches. Winning only two out of seven encounters in standard time led to a minimal elevation, with penalty shootouts carrying less weight in FIFA's ranking algorithm, as reported by the South African.

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Critically analyzing their victories, South Africa's triumphs over Cape Verde and DR Congo, both ranked lower, were marred by the need for penalty shootouts, undermining their ranking progress.

In subsequent FIFA Series encounters against Andorra and Algeria, expectations were high for Broos' men. However, a disappointing 1-1 draw against the European minnows and a thrilling yet inconclusive 3-3 result against the Carthage Eagles, further compounded their ranking dilemma. Despite the latter's lower ranking, the draw with Andorra had a detrimental effect on Bafana's FIFA standing.

The top 10 African countries in the ranking include Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, Cameroon, and South Africa.

As reported by FIFA, Argentina, France, Belgium, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Croatia lead the global ranking.

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Sports Brief reported that Harambee Stars climbed four places in the latest FIFA ranking.

In a significant display of prowess, the team clinched a decisive 4-0 victory over Malawi and rallied from an early setback to secure a 3-1 comeback win against Zimbabwe in the Four Nations tournament during the international break.

Despite Tanzania's participation in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Kenya now ranks ahead of them at 107, positioning itself as a formidable force in East African football.