USMNT: Copa America errors lead to FIFA world rankings drop

On Thursday, FIFA announced their most recent world rankings, which clearly reflect the fallout from the 2024 Copa America, when the USMNT failed to impress. The United States National Soccer team’s ranking fell to 16th; this is the worst showing since October 2022, after having been ranked 11th. This decline was the latest in a string of bad showings in the group stage of the Copa America; it included eventual tournament semifinalists Uruguay, Bolivia, and Panama.

Entering the tournament with high hopes, the USMNT‘s campaign started on a hopeful note with a 2-0 victory over Bolivia. However, the team’s momentum quickly dissipated as they suffered back-to-back defeats: a 5-1 thrashing by Colombia in pre-tournament friendlies, followed by losses to Panama and Uruguay during the group stage. These results led to their early exit from the tournament, a significant blow considering the competition was held on home soil.

The losses to Panama and Uruguay were particularly damaging. The defeat to Panama ranked 43rd in the world, was especially detrimental to the Stars and Stripes’ standing. Panama’s strong performance in the tournament allowed them to climb eight spots to 35th in the FIFA rankings. Similarly, Canada, under the management of American coach Jesse Marsch, also jumped eight places to 40th after a historic run to the semifinals.

How did it impact FIFA rankings?

The USMNT’s group stage exit resulted in a 34.77-point reduction in their FIFA ranking points, the fourth-largest drop among the 210 national teams. FIFA’s ranking system, based on the Elo Model, adjusts points based on various factors including relative team strength, match importance, match results, and expected outcomes. The significant drop for the USMNT underscores the disappointing nature of their Copa America performance.

Uruguay, benefiting from their strong showing, moved up to 11th in the world, taking the spot previously held by the USMNT. This reshuffling highlights the competitive nature of international soccer and the consequences of underperformance in major tournaments.

The USMNT’s poor performance led to significant changes off the field as well. Gregg Berhalter, who had been at the helm, was relieved of his duties following the team’s Copa America exit. This decision has sparked a search for a new head coach. It is a crucial task for US Soccer as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the United States as well.

Global ranking movements

The new FIFA rankings revealed several notable shifts among the top teams. Argentina, after winning their second consecutive Copa America, solidified their position as the world’s number-one team. France retained their second-place ranking despite a semifinal exit at the hands of Spain in Euro 2024. Spain, riding high on their Euro 2024 victory, climbed five places to third, while England moved up to fourth after reaching their second successive Euros final. Brazil, suffering a disappointing quarterfinal exit at Copa America, dropped to fifth.

Other significant movers included Venezuela, which jumped 17 places to 37th following a quarterfinal appearance at Copa America, and Canada, whose semifinal run in the same tournament saw them rise to 40th. Conversely, the Czech Republic experienced the steepest decline, falling 13 spots to 47th after a poor showing at Euro 2024. Scotland also dropped nine places to 48th following a group stage exit, while Turkey climbed 16 places to 26th after reaching the quarterfinals.