Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars, have climbed three places to 72nd in the latest FIFA World Ranking released on 20 November 2025, adding 12.37 points and continuing their upward trend under head coach Otto Addo.
The rise keeps Ghana inside the global top 75 for the first time since early 2024 and reflects the strong performances delivered in the October international window.
Those two matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, a commanding 5-0 away win over Madagascar in Casablanca and a tense 1-0 home victory against Comoros at the Baba Yara Stadium, secured top spot in Group I with games to spare and guaranteed Ghana’s return to the World Cup finals after the disappointment of missing out in 2022.
The November window told a different story. Travelling to East Asia for two prestigious friendlies, the Black Stars suffered narrow defeats against higher-ranked opposition: 2-0 to Japan in Yokohama on 14 November and 1-0 to South Korea in Seoul on 18 November.
Ghana created opportunities in both games but lacked sharpness in the final third and managed only one shot on target across the two encounters.
Otto Addo used the matches to rotate extensively, handing minutes and debuts to several younger players, including 19-year-old forward Benjamin Asare and Switzerland-based left-back Ebenezer Annan.
Because friendly results carry the lowest weighting in FIFA’s ranking formula, the two losses cost very few points, and several nations just below Ghana in the previous list dropped more heavily, allowing the Black Stars to move up three places overall.
Within Africa, Ghana remain 14th on the continent, unchanged from the previous update. Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria and Algeria occupy the top five positions, while Ghana sit immediately ahead of DR Congo and just behind Cape Verde in a tightly packed middle tier.
Attention now turns to the 2026 World Cup finals draw, scheduled for 5 December 2025 in the United States. With their current ranking, Ghana are projected to be placed in Pot 4, avoiding fellow African qualifiers in the group stage but potentially facing one of the tournament favourites or a host nation.
Despite the November setbacks, the overall mood remains positive: qualification is achieved, the ranking is trending upward, and valuable experience has been gained against strong Asian sides.
The Black Stars will reassemble in March 2026 for their final preparatory matches before the World Cup begins the following June.