Harambee Stars drop three places in latest FIFA rankings

Kenya men’s national football team – Harambee Stars – have dropped three places in the updated FIFA rankings. As per a Thursday 3 April update by FIFA, Harambee Stars are now ranked position 111 in the world, which is three places worse off their previous mark of 108 recorded in the months of November and December 2024.

The drop equates to Kenya’s joint-worst ranking in over six years, only matched by another 111th position in February last year. Kenya’s lowest ranking in that period came in August 2018, when Kenya were in position 112.

The drop is accounted for by Kenya’s failure to win a match in last month’s round of 2026 World Cup Qualifying matches, where Kenya drew and lost their two games.

In what was Benni McCarthy’s first match in-charge of the team, Harambee Stars produced a heroic comeback to only draw 3-3 with lowly-ranked Gambia, before losing 2-1 at home to a superior opponent in Gabon.

Fans will expect that McCarthy, now with ample time to spot talent and work with his team, will provide an upturn in the standings, which now has Kenya 27th in the CAF region, and well behind East African rivals Uganda (89) and Tanzania (107).

Morocco continue to lead the way in the continent, and have jumped two places to position 12 in the world, following their two World Cup qualifying victories over Niger and Tanzania.

Senegal are second in the CAF region despite dropping two places to position 19 globally, and will rue their barren draw against Sudan that meant their first dip in the rankings since September 2024.

The highest risers in Africa are Kenya’s World Cup Qualifying group opponents Ivory Coast, who have gone up five places to position 41 in the world.

This comes after they recorded back-to-back victories over The Gambia and Burundi, and remain as the only side yet to concede a goal in the Africa Qualifiers.

Rwanda, under the stewardship of former Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche, are the biggest droppers in the CAF region, falling six places to position 130 globally.

Defending World Cup champions Argentina continue to hold top spot, while Euro 2024 winners Spain have usurped France to second place.

The only other change in the top 10 is Netherlands, who have gone a place above Portugal, and now lie sixth.