The U.S. women’s national team has fallen to its lowest-ever FIFA world ranking after its disappointing World Cup run.
The USWNT entered the tournament at No. 1, a spot it had held since June 2017. But the team has dropped to No. 3 after its Round of 16 elimination, marking the first time it has fallen out of the top two since the rankings were introduced by FIFA in 2003.
Sweden moved into the top spot after its third-place finish in the tournament — and its elimination of the USWNT via penalty shootout, which sealed the USWNT’s earliest-ever exit from a World Cup tournament. Sweden joins Germany as the only other team to have led the FIFA women’s rankings.
Spain jumped to second place in the rankings after winning its first World Cup title. Runner-up England and quarterfinalist France held their pre-tournament placements as the fourth- and fifth-ranked squads, respectively.
Despite Australia’s fourth-place finish, the Matildas dropped one spot to No. 11, while Japan returned to the top 10 at No. 8. Reigning Olympic champion Canada fell three spots to No. 10 after failing to make the knockout rounds, while Germany fell four spots to sixth.
Morocco, who made its World Cup debut and advanced to the knockout stage, jumped 14 places to 58th.