Top 10 Best African Football Teams - Currently Ranked

Throughout history, Africa has served as a diamond mine when it comes to giving birth to exceptional talents. The continent is home to many African football teams that have shone brightly in some of the biggest stages of world football. Despite gifting elite players to the world, Africa as a continent is often overlooked and downplayed as a continent. It is home to some of the best players in the world of this generation and the past.

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, such as Cape Verde & South Africa have climbed up the ladder to gain significant recognition as the best African football teams. On that note, let's take a look at the best football team in Africa after the thrilling 2025 AFCON concluded recently.

List of Best African Soccer Teams

While ranking the best African football teams was tough, we have considered their recent form, FIFA rankings and AFCON performance, which would help us understand which is the best African football team. Here is a table for the African football teams that lead the way for their continent in top competitions.

Note: This list has been modified as per the latest CAF 2025 awards nominations list and AFCON results.

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 major 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.

Which is the Best Football Team in Africa at Present?

Several football teams are 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. Cape Verde

Cape Verde slowly made their stride to get recognised as one of the best African football team on the back of a historic 2026 CAF World Cup Qualification campaign. The Blue Sharks topped Group D, picking a stellar 23 points tally in a total of 10 matches across the campaign, and have shown enough capability to become one of those African football teams that can take on the big guns if backed properly.

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, has lost only one match in 2025, recording an overall win percentage of 50%. Cape Verde has qualified for the African Cup of Nations four times in 2013, 2015, 2021, and 2023 editions, but failed to make an appearance in Morocco.

9. 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.

The 2010 World Cup hosts finished 2nd behind Egypt in the group stages of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations. However, the Southernmost nation crashed out of the competition after losing to Cameroon 2-1 , in the round of 16. Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana finished the CAF World Cup Qualification at the top of Group C with 18 points in a historic World Cup qualification campaign. And they successfully made it to the last 16 of the AFCON.

8. 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 having a purple patch of form, as they completed a perfect CAF World Cup qualification campaign, 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. In the Group Stages, Tunisia finished second behind Nigeria with 4 points following a win and a draw, though Mali handed them an upset on penalties in the Round of 16 of the AFCON 2025.

7. 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 7th 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. They have also featured in the FIFA World Cup eight times, with their best outing coming in 1990, when they reached the quarter-finals.

The Indomitable Lions, despite having a formidable team and a rich history, won't be hopping on the jet next year to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They had an underwhelming qualification campaign where they won only 3 out of the 7 matches & lost to giant killers DR Congo. Man United star Bryan Mbeumo led Cameroon to quarter finals of the 2025 AFCON, but lost to Morocco.

6. 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, and of Algerian descent, as one of its own. 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. The African country is currently ranked 28th in the FIFA world rankings. Algeria crashed out of AFCON after losing to Nigeria with a 2-0 scoreline in the last eight.

5. Cote d’Ivoire

The world will forever be indebted to Cote d’Ivoire for gifting some of the best African footballers of all time, like Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure, and Gervinho, who featured at the topmost level in the sport. Ivory Coast are the three-time AFCON winners, who won the competition as recently as 2024. They ended the 2024 AFCON campaign as Group G runners-up.

Cote d’Ivoire claimed the trophy after beating Nigeria 2-1 in the AFCON final, thanks to Sebastian Haller and Franck Kessié, to claim their third continental success. While in this edition, the defending champions finished as Group F winners. However, a defeat against Egypt ended their dream to retain the title. The Elephants will make their 4th appearance in the FIFA World Cup in 2026 as they have qualified for the footballing showpiece as Group F winners during the qualifiers.

4. Egypt

The Pharaohs are the most successful team in the history of African football, claiming the AFCON trophy more than any other best football team in Africa (7) times. Their dominance has been ever-present since the 1950s to the modern generation. They have only featured in three FIFA World Cups in 1934, 1990, and 2018. Captained by one of the best Liverpool players ever in 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, and will look to perform as one of the African football teams that possess the ability to go all the way. However, the Pharaohs, despite being one of the most consistent teams in Africa, faced another disappointment. Not only did they lose to Senegal in the semis, but they also ended up losing to Nigeria in the 3rd place play-off at the AFCON.

3. Nigeria

Once the best African soccer teams, Nigeria’s charm has faded in recent times due to the rise of other nations like Morocco and Egypt. They are one of those African football teams with a rich football heritage. 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.

The three-time AFCON winners had to take part in play-offs to seal their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately, we won't be able to see the likes of Victor Boniface, Osimhen and Lookman as the Nigeria National Football Team won't be playing the 2026 World Cup after losing to DR Congo in a dramatic penalty shootout. Nevertheless, if we talk about AFCON 2025-26, the Super Eagles performed well, as they were the 3rd best team, thanks to their victory over Egypt.

2. Senegal

Although fans might view this as controversial, 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 Senegal national football team have won the AFCON competition only once, back in 2021. They first qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 2002, followed by two successive qualifications 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. However, you might see the Teranga Lions climb higher up in our rankings, as they had a good start to 2026, thanks to their memorable 1-0 win over Morocco in the AFCON final. Senegal has now won two AFCON trophies.

1. Morocco

The best football team in Africa currently is the Moroccan National Football Team, who has been undefeated in 2025. They don’t rely on just one player; rather boast a star-studded squad, which shows extreme unity on the pitch. They have appeared at the FIFA World Cup six times. The Atlas Lions have proved to be one of the strongest African football teams in recent times and have maintained their stunning form throughout the 2025 calendar year, securing the 2026 World Cup qualification.

Morocco's U20 side was crowned the U20 World Champions after beating heavyweights Argentina U20 in Chile recently, showing their quality as a team across all levels. Some of the best players in AFCON, like Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz, have performed at the highest levels in world football. However, just like all streak comes to an end, Morocco also suffered defeat for the first time in almost 18 months, at the hands of Senegal in the final of AFCON. As things stand, Senegal might close the gap to the 1st position in our list of best african football teams.