Following a winning start at the 2026 World Cup, Ghana’s Black Stars have moved up the ladder in Fifa’s rankings.
It took a stoppage time winner from Ghana’s Caleb Yirenkyi as the Black Stars laboured against a determined Panama side in Toronto.
The Nordsjaelland starlet started the move on the half way line when he played a quick one-two with Antoine Semenyo, who laid the ball onto Brandon Thomas-Asante on the left hand side.
A charging Thomas-Asante went into the Panama area with two players to aim for (Semenyo and Yirenkyi).
The farmer’s ran meant the ball was played behind him with the latter, 20-year-old Caleb Yirenkyi, showing and maintaining his composure to guide the ball into an empty net to seal a first win for Ghana on the opening day of the World Cup since 2010.
The victory, which has put the Black Stars in a fairly comfortable position to secure passage to the next round of the competition, has moved the team up on Fifa’s World rankings.
Prior to the game and tournament, the team were ranked 73rd by fifa – a mark that placed them amongst the lowest ranked sides heading into the tournament.
In Group L, alongside England, Croatia and Panama, the Black Stars were the least ranked side.
Despite the improvement to 73rd on Fifa’s global ranking, the team still remains the least ranked side in Group L.
On the African continent, Ghana are still rooted in 14th position as they prepare for their second game of the World Cup against England.
With a draw against England in the last meeting between the sides in 2011, and Ghana’s four-game unbeaten run on the second matchdays at the World Cup, optimism is growing among fans that the team might secure a positive result.
A positive result from the game against England will further push the Black Stars up the rankings.
Elsewhere, Morocco have moved into 6th whole Ivory Coast have jumped to 30th. A draw against Portugal has placed DR Congo in 43rd while Tunisia’s 5-1 drubbing against Sweden has seen the Eagles of Carthage drop 9 places.
Cape Verde will have Vozinha to thank as they move four places up to 63rd after their spirited draw with Spain.
Senegal’s defeat to France on the opening day has the Lions of Teranga slip up a place into 16th.
Algeria also fall three places into 31st following their loss to Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
