TANZANIA remain fixed at number 134 in the latest FIFA world rankings released on Thursday by the World football governing body with very little changes from the previous listing released in midDecember 2019.
With few matches having been played on the international front so far this year, there is little movement in the first FIFA World Ranking of 2020 and Tanzania kickoff the year at the same position it was placed in the previous year.
National senior team, Taifa Stars who are pooled in group D of this year’s CHAN finals to be staged in Cameroon are also placed 37th in Africa and is the lowest ranked team in the group, which comprises Zambia, Guinea and Namibia.
Guinea are placed 74 th in the world, followed by Zambia, who settled in the 88 position and Namibia are placed in the 117th position.
Etienne Ndairagije’s side also faces tough campaign in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Stars next opponents in the AFCON qualifiers group J matches will be against continental second placed and globally they are number 27, Tunisia on March 23rd this year away in Tunis and the return will be on March 31st in Dar es Salaam.
Other nations pooled in group J are Libya, who are placed 101th globally and Equatorial Guinea, who are settling in the 14 5th slot globally.
It is even tough in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers – Africa in which, Tanzania is also pooled in group J alongside DR Congo (56), Madagascar (91) and Benin are placed 84 in the world listing.
In this group, Tanzania is also the lowest ranked team.
Senegal remains the top-ranked African side as it is still settling 20th globally‚ followed by Tunisia (27)‚ Nigeria (31) and Africa champions Algeria who are placed 35the globally and fourth in the continent.
Morocco placed 4 3rd in the world complete the top five of Africa.
Indeed, with just 15 friendlies taking place since the last rankings updated in December 2019, including two games in late 2019 – the top 20 remain unchanged, with Belgium, France and Brazil still making up the top three.
Some minor movement in the top 50 sees Wales (23rd, down 1) and Paraguay (4 1st, down 1) each fall down a spot, while Ghana (4 6th, up 1) rises ever so slightly.
Palestine (103rd, up 3) is the first biggest climbers of 2020.
The AFC side’s success in January’s Bangabandhu Cup sees them leapfrog Estonia, Trinidad and Tobago, Mozambique and Kenya as they secured the biggest move by points and rank.
Beaten Bangabandhu Cup finalists Burundi (14 9, up 2), who like Palestine contested four matches in January, moved into the top 150.
Elsewhere, Aruba (200, up 1) and Pakistan (200, up 1) managed to improve on their respective positions amidst a rather quiet month in international football.
The next FIFA/ Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 9 April 2020.
