FIFA rankings: Highest-ranked team at AFCON 2023

In another focus on Afcon 2023, we take a look at how the teams have been ranked going into the tournament.

The AFCON in the West African nation is the 34th edition of the continental showpiece and it promises to be a great one following the initial postponement back in 2022.

The tournament offers the opportunity to see the great stars on the continent as they represent their countries in the biggest tournament. 

Senegal might be the defending champion of this tournament following their title triumph in Cameroon in 2021, but they are not the highest-ranked team at AFCON 2023.

Reigning AFCON Champions Senegal 🇸🇳 are looking to become just the fourth team to win consecutive tournaments and the first since Egypt won three in a row in 2010. None of the last six defending champions have made it past the last 16. #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 #CAN2023 #AFCON pic.twitter.com/BVl0WZRBJ6

— Pan-Africa Football (@PanAfricaFooty) January 8, 2024

So, which team sits top of the FIFA Rankings going into the AFCON? Morocco, Nigeria or Egypt? Find your answer below;

Five highest-ranked teams at AFCON 2023

Egypt

The Pharaohs of Egypt have fallen down the pecking order despite their great strides in this competition and its most successful team.

The Egyptians have won the AFCON seven times and have made the final of the competition at least twice in the previous four editions.

They have one of the most lethal forwards in world football as we speak, Mohammed Salah, and they will be keen to go all out for the title despite their FIFA ranking.

Algeria

The Algerians are another team from North Africa and a recent winner of the AFCON back in 2019 in Egypt. 

The Fennec Foxes have been up there with some consistent performances over the years and it is not surprising to find them on that exclusive list.

Djamel Belmadi’s side have one of the best collections of talents on the continent and they cannot be overlooked at the AFCON when it gets underway.

Tunisia

The Tunisian national teams have underperformed more than any other side in the top 5 but they always qualify for these tournaments.

The Carthage Eagles featured at the last World Cup in Qatar and made an easy passage to reaching the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.

Senegal

The Teranga Lions have been quite superb in the past five years, and not until the recent World Cup when they were usurped, they have been the continent’s number-one team.

Led by star man Sadio Mane, they won the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon and they will be looking to make another mark in Cote d’Ivoire.

Morocco

Quite easy to guess the team following their exploits at the World Cup in Qatar. The Atlas Lions go into this tournament as the highest-ranked side.

Morocco finished the year by maintaining their position as the leading African football nation as there were minimal changes in the last FIFA rankings for the year (2023).

Morocco have not played in the final of the AFCON since 2004 when they lost to Tunisia and have not won the continental showpiece since 1976.

That current situation has heaped a lot of pressure on the current group of talented players to deliver the tournament and they will be huge favourites following their rise in the past few months.