Freetown, Sierra Leone — Sierra Leone’s national football team, the Leone Stars, has moved up to 122nd in the world in the latest FIFA men’s rankings, while placing 34th on the African continent.
This position comes after a period of relative stability. The Leone Stars rose in the rankings following solid performances in recent World Cup qualifiers — a win over Ethiopia (2-0) and a 1-1 draw with Guinea-Bissau.
Historically, the team’s highest-ever FIFA ranking was 50th, achieved in August 2014. The lowest was 172nd, in September 2007.
Sierra Leone has had three appearances in the Africa Cup of Nations, in 1994, 1996, and 2021, but has yet to progress beyond the group stage in those tournaments.
With the team’s current global and continental ranking as a baseline, fans and analysts are hopeful that continued strong showings in upcoming fixtures — particularly in World Cup qualifiers and the Africa Cup of Nations — will help the Leone Stars improve their standing. Consistency, competitive results, and perhaps some breakthrough performances will be key to climbing higher in both the world and African rankings.
