Malta National Team among biggest climbers in FIFA World Rankings

The Malta Men’s National Team has surged five places in the FIFA World Rankings, making them among the biggest climbers in the latest update. The update to the rankings, made on Wednesday 19th November 2025, came after a remarkable window for Malta. Malta, now ranked 161st, recorded a stunning 1-0 win away to Finland in Helsinki, before matching Poland at the National Stadium in Ta’ Qali, only losing by a single goal. Malta is not the only nation to make a five-place rise in the rankings, with Uzbekistan (now 50th), the Philippines (now 136th) and Turkmenistan (now 137th) also reaching the impressive feat. While Malta has remained fifth from bottom out of all European nations, it has closed the gap significantly from those directly above, namely Moldova (now 158th), Lithuania (146th) and Latvia (140th). In turn, Malta has also extended the difference between them and Andorra (172nd), Gibraltar (202nd), Liechtenstein (now 205th) and San Marino (210th). The matches against Finland and Poland marked the end of Malta’s FIFA World Cup European qualifying campaign, with Coach Emilio De Leo’s side now turning its attention to the crucial UEFA Nations League Play-offs against Luxembourg in March 2026.