Mexico overtake USMNT as rivalry heats up in FIFA rankings shake-up

The March international break delivered a tough reality check for the United States men’s national team. Facing elite opposition in Belgium and Portugal, the USMNT suffered back-to-back defeats in Atlanta, leaving head coach Mauricio Pochettino with plenty to address ahead of the road to the 2026 World Cup.

Before the window, the United States sat 15th in the FIFA world ranking. After the latest update, they have slipped one place to 16th.

Mexico capitalizes on USMNT setbacks

The drop also came with a symbolic twist, as Mexico climbed above the United States in the standings. The Mexican national team, known as El Tri, moved into 15th place after earning valuable points from draws against Portugal and Belgium.

Those results proved enough to edge past the USMNT in a ranking shift that had not occurred in quite some time, adding a competitive layer to the regional rivalry with just over two months to go before the World Cup.

How the FIFA points changed

According to FIFA’s calculations, Mexico gained 0.77 points from its draw with Portugal and 0.52 from its result against Belgium, giving it a total of 1,681.03 points.

The United States, meanwhile, lost ground in both matches. The defeat to Belgium cost 4.53 points, while the loss to Portugal resulted in a further 4.22-point drop, pushing the USMNT down the table.

New FIFA top 20 ranking

The latest update also brought changes at the top of the standings, with France overtaking Spain to claim first place.

1. France – 1,877.32
2. Spain – 1,876.40
3. Argentina – 1,874.81
4. England – 1,825.97
5. Portugal – 1,763.83
6. Brazil – 1,761.16
7. Netherlands – 1,757.87
8. Morocco – 1,755.87
9. Belgium – 1,734.71
10. Germany – 1,730.37
11. Croatia – 1,717.07
12. Italy – 1,700.37
13. Colombia – 1,693.09
14. Senegal – 1,688.99
15. Mexico – 1,681.03
16. United States – 1,673.13
17. Uruguay – 1,673.07
18. Japan – 1,660.43
19. Switzerland – 1,649.40
20. Denmark – 1,620.81

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