Ranking the 6 Worst International Teams in World Football (2024)

FIFA has divided the Men's world rankings into six different federations. Now, let's examine the national team that currently holds the lowest ranking in each federation.

By: Anna Ciao

03/26/2024 06:40

When discussing international football, it is natural to reminisce about the legendary Brazilian teams of the past, Lionel Messi's thrilling first World Cup triumph in 2022, and England's sole major trophy in 1966. However, this article will deviate from tales of triumph and instead focus on the national teams with the lowest rankings in each continent, as per the FIFA Men's Rankings.

The FIFA rankings categorize 210 national teams using a points system based on performance in continental qualifiers, major tournaments, and even friendly matches. These 210 nations are divided across six different confederations, which are outlined below:

AFC (Asian Football Confederation)
CAF (Confederation of African Football)
CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football)
CONMEBOL (The South American Football Confederation)
OFC (Oceania Football Confederation)
UEFA (Union of European Football Associations)

Nation	Confederation	Rank
Bolivia	CONMEBOL	86
Tonga	OFC	196
Seychelles	CAF	199
Guam	AFC	205
Anguilla	CONCACAF	209
San Marino	UEFA	210
*Correct as of 26/03/24*

UEFA - San Marino

In the 21st century, European nations have dominated the World Cup, with four out of the last five winners hailing from the UEFA Confederation. Surprisingly, European football is also home to the national team ranked as the worst in the world, as San Marino currently holds the 210th position in the FIFA rankings.

Since their inaugural international match in 1986, San Marino has only managed to secure one victory. This solitary triumph came in a friendly match against Liechtenstein on April 28, 2004, ending in a 1-0 scoreline. However, they are yet to secure a victory in either the European Championship or World Cup qualifiers. Following their win against Liechtenstein, San Marino has participated in 137 matches, leading for a mere six minutes during a game against Malta in August 2012.

Nevertheless, there have been some recent signs of improvement for the European underdogs. In their last four matches, San Marino suffered narrow defeats of 2-1 against Denmark (ranked 21st) and Finland (ranked 60th). Although they faced a setback with a 3-1 loss at home to Saint Kitts and Nevis on March 20, they have the opportunity for redemption in their upcoming match against the same opponent on March 24. Saint Kitts and Nevis currently hold the 147th position in the rankings, giving San Marino hope of securing their first victory in nearly two decades.

San Marino's last four results

Date	Competition	Match	Score
October 17, 2023	UEFA European Qualifiers	San Marino vs Denmark	1-2
November 17, 2023	UEFA European Qualifiers	Kazakhstan vs San Marino	3-1
November 20, 2023	UEFA European Qualifiers	San Marino vs Finland	1-2
March 20, 2024	International Friendly	San Marino vs Saint Kitts and Nevis	1-3
*Correct as of 21/03/24*

Fans and pundits have been following San Marino's quest for a long-awaited victory, and the team's progress is often shared on the popular social media platform, X.com (formerly Twitter). The official account of the San Marino Football Association, @SanMarino_FA, boasts an impressive following of 137,000 users. The account consistently provides updates on the team's activities and matches, making it a valuable resource to stay informed during international breaks.

CONCACAF - Anguilla

Anguilla currently holds the 209th position in the FIFA rankings, just one spot above San Marino. The Caribbean nation has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup or the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

During the first round of qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup in the CONCACAF region, Anguilla faced El Salvador in a two-legged match. Unfortunately, Anguilla was swiftly eliminated from the tie, suffering a heavy 12-0 defeat in the first leg played in San Salvador. Despite a valiant effort in the second leg, played in front of 22,670 spectators, Anguilla still lost 4-0, resulting in a comprehensive aggregate score of 16-0. However, their most significant defeat came on November 10, 2019, when they were defeated 15-0 by Trinidad and Tobago in an international friendly.

Since their inaugural international match in 1985, Anguilla has secured eight victories, including notable wins against British Virgin Islands, Saint Martin, and Montserrat. Their most memorable triumph occurred on February 8, 2001, when they achieved a 4-1 victory over Montserrat. Goals from Terrence Rogers, Girdon Connor, and Ian Edwards sealed a historic win for the nation.

Anguilla wins since 1985

Date	Competition	Match	Score
February 25, 2000	Friendly	Anguilla vs British Virgin Islands	4-3
February 8, 2001	Caribbean Cup Qualification	Anguilla vs Montserrat	4-1
October 6, 2010	Caribbean Cup Qualification	Anguilla vs Saint Martin	2-1
February 28, 2015	Friendly	Anguilla vs British Virgin Islands	1-0
March 1, 2015	Friendly	Anguilla vs British Virgin Islands	3-1
March 10, 2019	Friendly	Anguilla vs Saint Martin	2-1
January 28, 2022	Friendly	Anguilla vs British Virgin Islands	2-1
February 14, 2022	Friendly	Anguilla vs Saint Martin	2-1
*Correct as of 21/03/24*

AFC - Guam

Although Guam has faced challenges in recent years, they achieved a noteworthy milestone in 2015 when they reached the 146th position in the FIFA rankings. This accomplishment followed impressive victories against Turkmenistan and India.

One player who has left an indelible mark on Guam's football history is Jason Cunliffe. He is considered a legend for the country, holding the record for the most goals scored and the most caps earned. Cunliffe has represented Guam on 66 occasions, a remarkable feat that surpasses the next highest capped player, Ian Mariano, by 24 appearances. At the age of 40, Cunliffe now operates as an attacking midfielder and has been a part of the national team since 2006.

Unfortunately, Guam has endured a string of defeats in their recent matches, having lost their last 12 encounters, including two 7-0 losses to China. Their most recent victory dates back to 2019 when they triumphed over Bhutan with an impressive 5-0 win in the second leg of a World Cup qualifier.

CAF - Seychelles

Seychelles currently holds the 199th position in the FIFA World Rankings. While this is not their lowest-ever ranking, as they dropped to 202nd in February 2020, their recent performances have been disappointing. In their last five matches, the Seychelles national team, known as the Pirates, has conceded a total of 23 goals while only managing to score two. Unfortunately, they lost all five of these matches, including a heavy 9-0 defeat to the Africa Cup of Nations champions, Ivory Coast.

In 2006, Seychelles achieved their highest-ever ranking of 129th since they commenced playing international football in 1974. During a notable period from June 28 to July 22, 2006, Seychelles secured three consecutive victories against Mauritius, Tanzania, and Namibia.

One significant achievement for Seychelles was when they hosted and emerged victorious in the 2011 Indian Ocean Island Games, defeating Mauritius in the final via a penalty shootout. However, since that tournament victory, the national team has struggled to find consistent success, winning only seven matches over a 13-year period.

OFC - Tonga

Tonga's national football team faced a notorious defeat on April 9, 2009, when they suffered a staggering 22-0 loss to Australia. This defeat marked a record international win at the time. However, just two days later, Australia surpassed that record by defeating American Samoa 31-0, which still stands as the largest victory in international football history.

In July 2023, Tonga lost their FIFA ranking as they had not played an international match for four years. However, they made their return to international football on November 18, 2023, with a 7-0 loss to New Caledonia. More recently, they achieved a 6-2 victory over American Samoa in the Pacific Games. These matches signify Tonga's efforts to rebuild their national team and regain their presence on the international stage.

Biggest International Football Wins

Date	Competition	Match	Score
11th April 2001	FIFA World Cup Qualifier	Australia vs American Samoa	31-0
2nd September 1971	South Pacific Games	Tahiti vs Cook Islands	30-0
9th April 2001	FIFA World Cup Qualifier	Australia vs Tonga	22-0

CONMEBOL - Bolivia

Bolivia, ranked 86th in the FIFA rankings, is the highest-ranked team among the mentioned nations. The South American qualifying stage for the World Cup is notoriously challenging, with only 10 teams competing for six automatic spots. Despite this difficulty, Bolivia has managed to qualify for the World Cup on three occasions, in 1930, 1950, and 1994. However, in each of their three World Cup campaigns, they were eliminated at the group stage and have yet to secure a victory.

It is worth noting, though, that in the 1994 World Cup, Bolivia achieved a commendable draw of 0-0 against South Korea and put up a valiant effort in narrow defeats to Germany and Spain. These performances demonstrated Bolivia's ability to compete with strong opponents on the global stage, even though they were unable to secure a win.

Bolivia World Cup results

Year	Match	Score
1930 World Cup	Yugoslavia vs Bolivia	4-0
1930 World Cup	Brazil vs Bolivia	4-0
1950 World Cup	Uruguay vs Bolivia	8-0
1994 World Cup	Germany vs Bolivia	1-0
1994 World Cup	South Korea vs Bolivia	0-0
1994 World Cup	Bolivia vs Spain	1-3

Bolivia's 2026 World Cup qualification campaign has not started on a positive note, with five losses in their first six matches. As a result, they currently find themselves four points behind Brazil, who hold the final automatic qualification spot for the tournament. In a match on September 9, 2023, Bolivia suffered a 5-1 defeat to Brazil, with goals from Rodrygo, Raphinha, and Neymar contributing to the Selecao's victory.

In the upcoming 2024 Copa América, which is a joint tournament between CONMEBOL and CONCACAF nations, Bolivia will be participating. The United States will serve as the host country for the competition, which is set to begin on June 20 this summer. In the group stage, Bolivia will be facing the USA, Uruguay, and Panama. Their first match, against the USA, will take place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

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Written by: Anna Ciao

Anna Ciao is a sports content contributor at Betimate. Born and raised in a rural village in China, I have had a passion for football and various sports such as basketball, volleyball, badminton, from a young age. Along with diligent studies, I achieved an IELTS score of 8.0 in the English language, and I have become a content contributor specializing in sports, particularly football, as I am today. I hope that my articles are helpful to readers.