WWC winners Spain top FIFA rankings, one spot ahead of USWNT

Women’s World Cup winners Spain have moved to the top of the FIFA rankings for the primary time, one spot ahead of second-placed United States, world soccer’s governing physique introduced on Friday.

The world champions are solely the fourth crew to succeed in the summit of the rankings after the U.S., Germany and Sweden.

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Spain beat England within the World Cup last in August, transferring up 4 spots to second. But they’ve lastly clinched top spot following a string of spectacular performances within the Women’s Nations League.

Spain topped their group with 5 wins — together with a double over Sweden — to qualify for the Nations League Finals which is able to happen in February, when they are going to face Netherlands within the semifinal stage.

The USWNT moved as much as second within the rankings and are adopted by France in third spot. France additionally certified for the Nations League Finals the place they are going to face Germany within the different semifinal.

European champions England, who missed out on a Paris Olympics berth, are fourth whereas Sweden have dropped to fifth after they completed third of their Nations League group with simply two wins in six video games.

The quantity of groups within the girls’s rankings additionally grew to a document 192 nations with the introduction of Central African Republic and Macau whereas North Korea (ninth), American Samoa, Madagascar and Bahamas reappear on the listing.