With the curtain falling on the 2025 international football season, FIFA released its final world rankings, confirming continued European dominance and highlighting new challenges for Arab and Asian football. The biggest headline of the year was Spain 2025 at the top of the world rankings, while Saudi Arabia 60th.
Spanish dominance: the fruits of continuity and renewal
Spain's rise to the top of the world rankings was no accident; it was the culmination of a long and successful journey that began to take clear shape after their victory in the European Championship (Euro 2024). This number one ranking reflects the success of the Spanish national team's approach to rebuilding and rejuvenating its squad, successfully blending talented young players with seasoned veterans to create a formidable and difficult-to-beat team.
Finishing the year at the top of the rankings is crucial for Spain, as it reinforces their position as a leading contender for upcoming tournaments, particularly the 2026 World Cup. Maintaining this position guarantees a place in Pot 1 for the draw, avoiding early clashes with other powerhouses like France, Argentina, or Brazil. This ranking also reflects the technical and administrative stability enjoyed by the Spanish Football Federation.
Saudi Green: Development Challenges and the Building Phase
On the other hand, the Saudi national team's 60th place ranking globally reflects the fierce competition in Asia and internationally. Despite the tremendous growth Saudi sports have witnessed, particularly the Saudi Professional League which now attracts world-class stars, this will require time and cumulative results in official and friendly international matches to translate into a higher ranking for the national team.
This ranking is seen as part of a transitional phase for the "Green Falcons," as the focus is currently on building a new generation capable of competing strongly in the upcoming Asian Cup and ensuring comfortable qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Strategically, the focus is also on 2034, when the Kingdom will host the world's most prominent event, making the current ranking merely a stop on a long journey to the top.
The importance and impact of the FIFA rankings
It is worth noting that the FIFA ranking is not just about honorary numbers, but plays a crucial role in the fate of national teams:
- World Cup draw: FIFA relies on this ranking to distribute the teams into the four levels for the World Cup draw, which directly affects the teams' chances of advancing beyond the group stage.
- Continental qualifiers: The ranking determines the path of teams in the continental qualifiers, as highly ranked teams avoid facing each other in the preliminary rounds.
In conclusion, 2025 represents an important milestone in the history of world football, as Spain continues to provide lessons in total football, while Saudi Arabia continues its tireless work to develop its football system to reach positions befitting the size of the investment and the great public passion.
