Rwanda unmoved in latest FIFA rankings

RWANDA has maintained 105th position in the current FIFA rankings released on Wednesday, which also experienced minimal changes with the top 30 witnessing one change where Argentina beat Denmark to occupy 9th position.

Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Amavubi Stars have not played any international match since their 2013 Afcon qualifier first leg against Nigeria on March 6 in Kigali. The New Times/T. Kisambira.

RWANDA has maintained 105th position in the current FIFA rankings released on Wednesday, which also experienced minimal changes with the top 30 witnessing one change where Argentina beat Denmark to occupy 9th position.Rwanda, ranked second in East Africa behind Uganda, is placed 26th in Africa. This is because the Amavubi Stars team has not played any international fixture since the last rankings were released on April 11.Despite leading the region, Uganda dropped to 93rd position in the world and 22nd in Africa.The next international matches for Amavubi are two friendly against Libya on May 23 and Tunisia on May 26 before facing Algeria on June 2 in a 2014 World Cup qualifier where heavy movements are expected when the next release is announced on June 6th.Rwanda’s Group H World Cup qualifier Algeria also remained unmoved in third position on the continent and 38th in the World. Ivory Coast and Ghana are the top African teams ranked on 15th and 22nd positions respectively.

In the Cecafa region, Sudan is in third place on 113 and Kenya comes in fourth place ranked 117th in the world.Sierra Leone above NigeriaSouth Africa were the biggest African risers, moving four places up to 67th spot. But the biggest shock in the latest rankings will have to be Sierra Leone’s rise to 61st spot, one above Nigeria, while DR Congo were the biggest fallers, dropping five places to 124th position.The 1974 African champions are now rated below the likes of Benin, Central African Republic and Sao Tome e Principe.Sierra Leone, whose population of six million is dwarfed by Nigeria’s total in excess of 160m, have never travelled to a World Cup and have only ever competed at two Nations Cups - in 1994 and 1996.Spain continues to dominate the world ahead of Germany, Uruguay, Netherlands and Portugal in that order. Brazil is 6th, England 7th, Croatia 8th, Argentina 9th and Denmark closes the top 10 positions.