The latest FIFA futsal rankings not only underline Brazil’s continued dominance in the sport but also reflect the rapid global expansion of futsal, with emerging nations such as Afghanistan making notable progress on the international stage.
Zurich | By Sara Amiri
Brazil has maintained its position at the top of both the men’s and women’s FIFA Futsal World Rankings, according to the latest update released by FIFA for May 2026.
The updated rankings reflect continued international growth in futsal, with five new nations entering both the men’s and women’s standings. FIFA stated that the rankings were calculated based on hundreds of international matches played across continental championships, qualifiers, and friendly competitions during the past year.
In the women’s rankings, Brazil remains ahead of Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Italy, and Japan, while France recorded one of the biggest improvements after climbing 15 places to 33rd. Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives entered the women’s rankings for the first time, bringing the total number of ranked teams to 96.
In the men’s rankings, Brazil retained first place following their Copa América Futsal triumph, while Portugal, Spain, Argentina, and Iran completed the top five positions. Indonesia achieved one of the biggest rises, moving up ten places to 14th after reaching the AFC Futsal Asian Cup final.
Afghanistan also recorded progress in the latest standings, climbing seven positions to 21st place, reflecting the national team’s improving performances in regional and international futsal competitions. Cameroon returned to the rankings after more than eight years away from international futsal competition.
FIFA introduced the official Futsal World Rankings in 2024 using an Elo-rating system designed to evaluate team performances based on match results and opponent strength. The rankings are also used as part of the seeding process for major international competitions and Youth Olympic tournament draws.