Fifa rankings remain virtually unchanged as football grapples with pandemic

The ongoing measures to combat the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus have resulted in little to no football being played of late and, consequently, next to no movement in the latest Fifa world rankings published on Thursday.

This means Bafana Bafana remain placed 71st in the world and are ranked 13 on the continent.

South Africa last played against Sudan in a qualifier for next year’s Afcon, which Bafana won 1-0 in Orlando, Soweto in November.

The qualifiers for the continental championships in Cameroon were due to resume last month but the programme remains on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Afcon qualifiers are among a raft of international fixtures, which include qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and other major tournaments, that have been postponed.

This has resulted in the dates of many competitions being rescheduled – events such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the Copa America and European championships – which have all been postponed by a year.

Amid this upheaval, the global football rankings were impacted by just four matches – all friendlies – and, as such remain all but identical to the previous edition.

The solitary change sees South Sudan move into joint 168th position with Bermuda, after the latter dropped a ranking point thanks to a 2-0 defeat in Jamaica (48th, unchanged) on March 11.

Five other teams involved in friendlies since the global ladder’s last update were Panama (played twice – 81st, unchanged), Uzbekistan (85th, unchanged), Belarus (87th, unchanged), Guatemala (130th, unchanged) and Nicaragua (151st, unchanged).

As things stand, Belgium, France, Brazil, England and Uruguay hold the top five spots in the world, while last year’s Afcon top four finishers – Senegal, Tunisia, Nigeria and Algeria – occupy the top of the Africa list.

The next Fifa rankings will be published on June 11. – Safa.net

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