Zambia’s Copper Queens have dropped five places to 70th in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Rankings, released on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
The Copper Queens, who were ranked 65th in the previous update on 16 June, have slipped further down the global standings following a difficult period for the national team.
Zambia’s latest position also leaves them behind several African sides, including Nigeria, who are ranked 43rd in the world, South Africa (59th), 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) champions Cameroon (62nd), Morocco (64th) and Ghana (65th).
The drop comes after Zambia’s disappointing WAFCON campaign, in which they were eliminated at the group stage, before suffering a 2-1 defeat to Uganda in the first leg of their second-round qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
However, the Copper Queens responded in the return leg on 13 October, beating Uganda 4-1 in Lusaka to secure a 5-3 aggregate victory and advance to the third round of the Olympic qualifying competition.
The latest rankings come at a crucial stage as Zambia look to rebuild momentum and strengthen their position ahead of future international assignments.
Meanwhile, Spain have consolidated their position at the top of the global rankings after an impressive October international window against the United States.
The reigning world champions defeated the USA 2-0 in Washington, DC, before playing out a 2-2 draw in Chester, Pennsylvania, extending their lead at the summit to almost 80 points.
The United States remain second, with Germany in third, followed by England and Japan to complete the top five.
In Africa, Malawi were the biggest climbers in the latest rankings after rising 49 places following their remarkable run to the 2026 WAFCON final.
The Scorchers, who defeated several established sides on their way to the final, were beaten by Cameroon in the title decider but secured qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil — their first appearance at the global tournament.
Malawi climbed to 104th in the world, while Cameroon rose nine places to 62nd following their continental triumph.
Denmark also returned to the global top 10 for the first time in 16 years, moving up two places to 10th after drawing 1-1 with Canada before winning the second friendly 4-3.
Slovenia climbed two places to a record high of 36th following their progress in the European qualifying play-offs for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
