Kenya’s national men football team, Harambee Stars, has experienced a setback in the latest FIFA rankings, slipping four places to 106th globally. This drop comes after two consecutive defeats to Cameroon in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers earlier this month, where Kenya lost 4-1 in Yaoundé and 1-0 in the return fixture played in Uganda.
The back-to-back losses have put Kenya’s hopes of qualifying for the AFCON in jeopardy. Just last month, Kenya had climbed to 102nd and appeared on track to break into the top 100, but their progress has been undone by these results against the formidable five-time African champions.
Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat now faces a critical phase in the qualification campaign, with upcoming matches against Zimbabwe and Namibia offering a chance to regain momentum. Victories in these encounters could not only improve Kenya’s chances of reaching the AFCON but also boost their standing in the FIFA rankings when they are next updated in November.
In the regional context, Kenya now trails behind Uganda, which has climbed three spots to 87th, making them the highest-ranked East African team. Sudan has also made a significant leap, rising ten places to 110th, while Tanzania is ranked 112th.
On the broader African stage, Morocco continues to lead, ranking 13th globally, followed by Senegal at 20th and Egypt at 30th. The recent performances of these top African sides underline their dominance on the continent.
Globally, Argentina holds on to the top spot in the FIFA rankings, although their lead over France and Spain, ranked second and third respectively, has narrowed. Other major footballing nations such as England (4th), Brazil (5th), and Belgium (6th) remain unchanged, while Portugal (7th) and Italy (9th) have gained ground within the top ten.
Several African teams have seen impressive gains, including Cameroon, whose victories against Kenya contributed to their four-place rise to 49th, bringing them back into the top 50. Additionally, Zimbabwe (117th, up 7) and Equatorial Guinea (88th, up 6) have shown notable improvements.
Among the most remarkable climbers are Comoros (108th) and Sudan, both jumping ten places after securing important wins in their respective AFCON qualifying matches. Comoros’ rise has seen them achieve their highest-ever FIFA ranking, while Botswana recorded the largest points increase, moving up 38.30 points to sit 140th globally.
As Harambee Stars prepare for their next fixtures, the team will be hoping to recover both in performance and ranking to re-establish themselves as one of East Africa’s leading football nations.