On 04th April, the FIFA released the monthly FIFA Men’s Ranking, where Rwanda moved from 133 to 131 position on April ranking with 5,4 points increase, following good results during previous FIFA friendlies window in Madagascar in Madagascar from 18th to 26th of March 2024, where Rwanda played Botswana (0-0) and smashed Madagascar by 2-0.

It all started in November 2023, when Rwanda was preparing for the FIFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, where Rwanda found itself in the Group stage with South Africa, Benin, Nigeria and Lesotho, there apart from Lesotho, the rest of the teams were above Rwanda on the previous FIFA World Ranking of October 2023, Zimbabwe was on 125th position with 1138,56 points and South Africa on 64th with 1366,35 points, while Rwanda was the 140th with only 1087,03. These matches raised confidence and provoked a better start of the journey after Rwanda made a draw with Zimbabwe 0-0, and defeated South Africa 2-0.

The results left Rwanda leading the Group with 4 Points fought for in the said matches, which made Rwanda progress from 140th to 133th position with 1107,04 (with 10,1 points increased) the position that Amavubi still had in the February Ranking before FIFA friendlies window that lasted between 18th to 26th of March, where Rwanda had to face Botswana which was the 146th with only 1064,5 points a goalless draw game played on 22nd March 2024 in Madagascar and there came Madagascar which was above Rwanda on the Ranking (109th with 1187,63 points) and was favorite, due to the fact that despite its better position than Rwanda, the team was at home, which didn’t scare Torsten Frank Spittler boys, who defeated with 2-0 and Rwanda position again increased from 133 to 131st with 1112,44 points (5,4 points increased).

Here Rwanda confirmed a promising rise in Football by gaining 10 positions increase in less than four months.

RWANDA IN COMPARISON WITH THE TEAMS TO FACE IN JUNE FOR THE NEXT 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

In June 2024, from 03rd to 11th there will be next Group stage Qualifications game as Benin which is the 97th on the FIFA ranking with 1225,68 points will host Rwanda Home away from its home, because its National Stadium Mathieu Kerekou was recently rejected by FIFA, in other words it failed to fulfil all requirements to be homologated to host FIFA games, and as a result Benin will host Rwanda in Ivory Coast.

Thus, despite the better position of Benin on the current FIFA ranking, Rwanda might take advantage that both teams will be playing an away-like game and impose the results to be different from the results and confidence that Benin could have gotten in front of its Public in Cotonou.

The next match Rwanda will also visit Lesotho which is currently 149th with 1047,58 points, and this match is expected to be mysteriously not easy, for Lesotho has increased its level in the recent past after good results it got from the favorites giants in the previous FIFA 2026 Qualifiers match, both draw against Nigeria and Benin yet both games were away from Maseru.

And again, in the previous FIFA friendlies window, this same Lesotho defeated Ethiopia in Addis, which means that this game will not be easy for both teams, given both teams current performances on international Level, and the results will illustrate which side had better preps for that.