The FIFA World Ranking lists every men’s national team from first to last based on their results. It matters more than many fans think: it is used to seed draws for the World Cup and qualifying. This guide explains how FIFA rankings are calculated, in simple terms, with a worked example.
What Is the FIFA World Ranking?
The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking was first published in 1992. Since August 2018, FIFA has used a system called SUM, based on the Elo rating method used in chess. Instead of averaging results over several years, each match now adds or removes points from a team’s total.
The FIFA Ranking Formula
After every official match, a team’s points are updated with this formula:
P = Pbefore + I × (W − We)
- Pbefore: the team’s points before the match
- I: the importance of the match
- W: the result (1 for a win, 0.5 for a draw, 0 for a loss)
- We: the expected result, based on the difference in points between the two teams
In simple words: you gain points when you do better than expected and lose points when you do worse. Beating a much stronger team earns a lot of points. Beating a much weaker team earns only a few.
Match Importance Values
Bigger matches move the ranking more. FIFA uses these importance values:
| Type of match | Importance (I) |
|---|---|
| Friendly outside an international window | 5 |
| Friendly inside an international window | 10 |
| Nations League group stage | 15 |
| Nations League finals and play-offs | 25 |
| World Cup and continental qualifiers | 25 |
| Continental finals, before the quarter-finals | 35 |
| Continental finals, quarter-finals onwards | 40 |
| World Cup finals, before the quarter-finals | 50 |
| World Cup finals, quarter-finals onwards | 60 |
How the Expected Result Is Worked Out
The expected result is calculated with this formula, where dr is the difference in ranking points between the two teams:
We = 1 ÷ (10(−dr ÷ 600) + 1)
If both teams have the same points, the expected result is 0.5 for each. The bigger the gap, the closer the stronger team’s expected result gets to 1.
A Simple Worked Example
Imagine Team A has 1,700 points and Team B has 1,500 points. They play a World Cup qualifier (I = 25).
- The difference is 200 points, so Team A’s expected result is about 0.68 and Team B’s is about 0.32.
- If Team A wins: 25 × (1 − 0.68) = about +8 points for A and −8 for B.
- If it is a draw: 25 × (0.5 − 0.68) = about −4.6 points for A and +4.6 for B.
- If Team B wins: 25 × (1 − 0.32) = about +17 points for B and −17 for A.
This shows why upsets matter so much. A shock win can move a team up the table far more than an expected one.
Special Rules
- Knockout protection: a team does not lose points for losing a knockout match in the final stage of a competition, such as a World Cup round of 16.
- Penalty shootouts: the shootout winner is given 0.75 and the loser 0.5, instead of a full win and a draw.
- Only official matches count: matches must be between FIFA member associations and played under FIFA rules.
- Friendlies count less: friendlies have the lowest importance, so they rarely change the ranking much.
Why the FIFA Ranking Matters
The ranking is more than a talking point. FIFA uses it to seed teams into pots for draws, including the World Cup finals and World Cup qualifying. Continental bodies use their own systems too; for example, UEFA’s draws also take Nations League and qualifying results into account. A good ranking can mean an easier group, which is a big advantage. Read more in our guide to how World Cup qualification works and our FIFA World Cup 2026 guide.
Why Do Rankings Sometimes Look Strange?
Fans often ask why a team that just won a big trophy is not first. The SUM system rewards results over time, not one tournament. A team that wins a lot of matches against strong opponents will build points steadily. Teams that play few competitive matches change slowly, and teams that mainly play friendlies gain little.
FIFA Ranking FAQs
How often are FIFA rankings updated?
FIFA publishes the men’s ranking several times a year, usually after each international window and major tournament.
When did FIFA change the ranking system?
FIFA switched to the SUM (Elo-based) system in August 2018, after the World Cup in Russia.
Do friendlies count in the FIFA ranking?
Yes, but with the lowest importance (5 or 10), so they have a small effect.
Does losing on penalties cost ranking points?
A shootout loser is treated as scoring 0.5, like a draw, and teams are protected from losing points in knockout matches at the final stage of a competition. See our penalty shootout rules guide for how shootouts work.
