SOCCER: Spain women remain No. 1 ahead of US in FIFA rankings

Spain retained the No. 1 spot in the latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking, with the United States staying at No. 2 following 276 international matches since the last update. England climbed to third, while Japan rose to fifth amid notable shifts across the top 10.

Field Level Media/Reuters

April 22, 2026

Spain's Edna Imade celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates, Soccer Football - Women's World Cup - European Qualifiers - Spain v Ukraine - Estadio Nuevo Arcangel, Cordoba, Spain - April 18, 2026.

Jon Nazca/Reuters

Spain remained No. 1 with the United States still at No. 2 on Tuesday in the first FIFA Women's World Ranking published since December.

Making up the rest of the top 10 in the new rankings are England, Germany, Japan, Brazil, France, Sweden, Canada and the Netherlands.

A total of 276 relevant international fixtures have been contested since the previous rankings release, highlighted by qualifying action for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil.

Spain, which took over the top spot last August, stayed on top despite last week's away defeat to England. England moved up one spot, switching places with Germany.

The U.S. won twice and lost once in its three-match friendly series earlier this month against Japan, which climbed three places to No. 5.

Sweden took the biggest tumble in the top 10, sliding three places to No. 8. Korea DPR fell out of the top 10, slipping two spots to No. 11.

The next edition of the rankings will be published on June 16.

The total number of teams in the pool fell to 197, with the British Virgin Islands dropping out after going four years without playing a match.

-Field Level Media/Reuters