According to the latest FIFA rankings, the Algerian national team has fallen to 40th place. She is no longer in the African top 5. But finding its place among the five best selections on the continent is becoming a necessity. The reason is simple, it will be in his favor during the draw for the CAN-2023 but also that of the qualifiers for the World Cup-2026.
It was last Thursday that FIFA unveiled the new ranking for the month of December. The Algerian national team lost three places. Indeed, it now occupies the 40th place. It was predictable, it must be said, after his absence from the last World Cup in Qatar but also after the two results in the last two friendly matches, played respectively against Mali (1-1) in Oran and to Sweden (1-2) in Malmö.
Thus, the band of Djamel Belmadi no longer appears in the African top 5. But she will have to make sure to recover her place among the five best selections on the continent in 2023.
Why will the Greens have to find a place among the 5 best African nations?
The reason is simple. This will be in his favor during the draw for the CAN-2023 but also that of the qualifiers for the World Cup-2026.
That said, and if the Greens are not going to move up the FIFA rankings before the CAN-2023 draw, which takes place in Côte d’Ivoire, they would not be seeded in one of the six groups of the continental competition. Especially when you know that Côte d’Ivoire (9th in the African ranking) will automatically be in the first hat, being the organizing country.
If Mahrez and others are forced to climb to the African top 5, it is also in anticipation of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which will begin in 2024. Indeed, there should be 9 groups of 5 selections with a single qualifying ticket, in addition to a possible play-off.
Will the Fennecs be able to straighten the curve?
In short, the Fennecs are condemned to achieve good results in the year 2023 to straighten the curve. It will start from March, during the double confrontation against Niger. It is part of the qualifiers for CAN-2023.
In this same event, the protégés of Djamel Belmadi will also have to win in Uganda, before completing the playoffs by receiving Tanzania. In other words, the full box is needed for the rest of the playoffs. This will be the best way to hope to jump in the FIFA rankings. And suddenly, find the top 5 African.
In the midst of reconstruction, the national selection risks chaining poor performance in the short term. But she will have to win the next matches at all costs and thus take up the challenge to quickly find the African top 5.
