Top 10 Best Football Team in Africa - 2025 (Ranked)

Throughout history, Africa has served as a diamond ore when it comes to giving birth to exceptional talents and is home to many best football team in Africa. Despite producing world-class players, Africa as a continent is often overlooked and downplayed as a continent with numerous countries, notably footballing countries; the people are absolutely in love with football.

From the amateur to the senior level, football is the most popular and followed sport in Africa, with countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire once considered the pioneers of the sport on the continent. However, in recent times, many other countries have climbed up the ladder to gain significant recognition as best African football teams. On that note, let's take a look at the best football team in Africa.

List of Best African Soccer Teams

While ranking the best African football teams was tough, we have considered their recent form and the current FIFA rankings, which would help us understand which is the best African football team.

How We Ranked the Best African Football Teams?

There are a few criteria that were taken into consideration while compiling the list of the best football team in Africa based on various ranking factors such as their recent performances, legacy and achievements.

• Recent Performance: How the team has performed in international competitions in recent times plays a huge part in its ranking, since without a major performance, it’s tough to get them ranked.
• Legacy: the second is legacy; all the teams in the list have a rich legacy established over the years. Football has a huge following in Africa and is considered a sport for the masses.
• Achievements: While most teams in this list have achieved something great, however, a few are there who are being considered the rising stars yet to claim a major title.

Who is the Best Football Team in Africa in 2025?

Several football teams, based in Africa and they have proven their worth on the global stage across generations. Nowadays, teams like Egypt, Senegal, and Morocco are considered the football giants on the continent, thanks to players like Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen, and Sadio Mane, who have already made an unimaginable impact in European club football. Here, we’ll discuss the current best football teams in Africa:

10. South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is home to clubs like Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, and Mamelodi Sundowns. South Africa is gradually making its presence felt in the international scenario. Bafana Bafana have clinched a spot in the next year's FIFA World Cup in 2026. The country that hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2010 is currently ranked 10th among African countries by FIFA. They played seven matches in the Africa Cup of Nations and won four of them and drew only once, topping Group K. Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana finished the CAF World Cup Qualification at the top of Group C with 18 points.

9. Cape Verde

Slowly made their strides to acclaim themselves as one of the best African football team on the back of a historic 2026 CAF World Cup Qualification campaign. The Blues Sharks topped Group D, picking a stellar 23 points tally in a total of 10 matches across the campaign. The Tiny Island country with a half-million population finished above the 2nd place Cameroon in the World Cup qualification. The 71st FIFA-ranked country Cape Verde, is unbeaten in 2025, recording a win percentage of 37.5% overall. Cape Verde has qualified for the African Cup of Nations four times from 2013, 2015, 2021 and 2023 editions.

8. Cameroon

A stalwart in African football, the Cameroon football team is one of the best football team in Africa. Home to legendary football icons like Samuel Eto’o, Roger Milla, and Rigobert Song, the country is currently ranked eighth by FIFA among African countries. The five-time Africa Cup of Nations winners, Cameroon, topped their group in the most recent edition and are expected to go far in the competition, provided their long-term experience of playing against top nations in the world, as they have also featured in the FIFA World Cup eight times, with their best outing coming in 1990, when they reached the quarter-finals.

7. Tunisia

Tunisia's football team, nicknamed the Eagles of Carthage, won its first and only African Cup of Nations trophy in 2004. They are currently enjoying a fine moment, having completed a perfect campaign CAF World Cup qualification, securing 28 points. They are one of the best football team in Africa and historically, they have been a competitive team. In the recent AFCON qualifiers, they ended as Group A runners-up to Comoros. Notably, this year Tunisia have played eight games and lost only once, winning the rest in style.

6. Nigeria

Once the best African soccer teams, Nigeria’s charm has faded in recent times due to the rise of other gigantic nations like Morocco and Egypt. However, they are a country with a rich football heritage, and people who love football. Having first appeared in the FIFA World Cup in 1994, they have featured in the competition six times and have made it to the last-16 on three occasions. Home to footballers like Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, John Obi Mikel, and Victor Osimhen, among others, the three-time African Cup of Nations winners topped Group D to advance to the next stage, but the Super Eagles survived a struggling phase in the 2026 CAF World Cup Qualifiers.

5. Cote d’Ivoire

The world will forever be indebted to Cote d’Ivoire for gifting legendary footballers like Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure, and Gervinho, who featured at the topmost level in the sport. The three-time AFCON winners, who won the competition as recently as 2023, featured thrice in the FIFA World Cup and ended the 2024 AFCON campaign as Group G runners-up and eventually claimed the title after beating Nigeria 2-1 in the AFCON final, thanks to Sebastian Haller and Franck Kessié, to claim their third continental success. The Elephants have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as Group F winners.

4. Algeria

When it comes to Algeria, it is unfair that it can’t claim Zinedine Zidane, who was once the world’s most decorated footballer, is of their descent. However, in recent times, the country has made sensational progress in football and has emerged as one of the best football team in Africa. The Greens have won the AFCON twice in 1990 and 2019; they emerged Group E winners in the previous continental campaign. They have featured in the FIFA World Cup four times, with their last appearance coming in 2014, and return to the 2026 World Cup after winning Group G in the CAF World Cup Qualification.

3. Egypt

The Pharaohs have been the most successful team in the history of African football. A record seven-time African champions, claiming the AFCON trophy more than any other best football team in Africa. Their dominance has been ever-present since the 1950s to the modern generation. However, they have only featured in three FIFA World Cups in 1934, 1990, and 2018. Captained by Liverpool star winger Mohamed Salah, they topped Group C in the 2024 AFCON campaign. Egypt have qualified for the next World Cup after a stellar CAF WC Qualification campaign recently.

2. Senegal

Although fans might view this as controversial, but in recent times the Senegal football team have stamped their authority in world football and is one of the best African soccer teams ranked second by FIFA rankings in the CAF category. The Lions of Teranga have won the AFCON competition only once, back in 2021. They first qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and, since then, have made their presence felt in 2018 and 2022. Following an excellent performance in the CAF WC Qualification, they have confirmed their place in the 2026 World Cup as well.

1. Morocco

The best football team in Africa currently is the Moroccan football team, who have not lost a single game in 2025 and has won all four. Although they don’t have ‘one’ superstar, they are a star-studded team, which shows extreme unity on the pitch. They have appeared at the FIFA World Cup six times, with their recent outing coming in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where they handed an upset to Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal. This was also their most successful campaign as they ended fourth, losing out to Croatia in the bronze medal game.

The Atlas Lions have maintained their stunning form throughout the 2025 calendar year, securing the 2026 World Cup qualification. Morever, Morocco U20 side crown the U20 World Champions after beating heavyweights Argentina U20 in Chile recently shows their quality as a team across all levels.