The Atlas Lions moved above Brazil in the provisional ranking after the five-time world champions were held to a 1–1 draw by Australia in an international friendly.
Morocco are currently on 1,803.99 points, while Brazil dropped to around 1,802.90 following the draw, allowing the North Africans to move into fifth place.
The achievement means Morocco have equalled a record Nigeria had held alone for 32 years.
The Super Eagles reached fifth in the FIFA rankings in April 1994, during one of the most successful periods in the country's football history. Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations that year before making their FIFA World Cup debut in the United States, where they reached the round of 16.
Morocco's rise follows their continued progress on the international stage. They became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final at Qatar 2022 and subsequently reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup.
The latest movement is, however, still provisional. FIFA states that its live rankings remain unofficial until all relevant international matches have been approved as 'A' internationals. The next official FIFA men's ranking is scheduled for 7 October 2026.
For Nigeria, the record that stood for more than three decades has now been matched by another African football powerhouse.
Morocco's rise to fifth represents another significant milestone for the Atlas Lions, who had already reached sixth in FIFA's last official ranking published on 20 July 2026.
• Morocco: Fifth in the current provisional FIFA ranking
• Nigeria: Fifth in April 1994
• Morocco's points: 1,803.99
• Brazil's points: Approximately 1,802.90
• Next official FIFA ranking: 7 October 2026
• African record: Morocco and Nigeria have both reached fifth in the FIFA men's world ranking