The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the governing body of the international soccer, has devised an innovative method for ranking of all the senior national teams of all FIFA member associations. The FIFA World Rankings were introduced in August 1993 to appraise the relative strength of all its associate members at regualr intervals. The rating and rankings of teams are deducted by dividing total international matches and total points scored by a particular team up to a particular date.

FIFA Rankings of Top 50 Teams*

FIFA Ranking Team Total Pts:July 2006 1 Brazil 1630 2 Italy 1550 3 Argentina 1472 4 France 1462 5 England 1434 6 Netherlands 1322 7 Spain 1309 8 Portugal 1301 9 Germany 1229 10 Czech Republic 1223 11 Nigeria 1149 12 Cameroon 1109 13 Switzerland 1028 14 Uruguay 985 15 Ukraine 961 16 USA 933 17 Denmark 927 18 Mexico 924 19 Paraguay 915 20 Cote d'Ivoire 909 21 Columbia 902 22 Sweden 886 23 Croatia 854 24 Guinea 850 25 Ghana 839 26 Romania 834 27 Turkey 824 28 Equador 821 29 Egypt 819 30 Poland 809 31 Tunisia 805 32 Greece 780 33 Australia 738 34 Russia 733 35 Senegal 726 36 Serbia&Montenegro 724 37 Bulgaria 716 38 Honduras 695 39 Ireland 694 40 Morocco 681 41 Scotland 677 42 Peru 661 43 Bosnia- Herzegovina 660 44 Slovakia 659 45 Costa Rica 636 46 Chile 630 47 Iran 624 48 Togo 622 48 Japan 615 50 Uzbekistan 606

While ranking a team, FIFA considers various factors like results and performances in the World Cup finals matches, World Cup preliminary matches, FIFA Confederations Cup matches, Continental Championships final matches, Continental Championship preliminary matches, as well as Friendly matches. However, scores are awarded to teams according to importance of the matches and relative strengths of teams in a particular match. But , FIFA ranking have been the subject of considerable debate, ever since its inception in 1993. To rectify its ranking system, FIFA has brought up few changes in rankings of team from July 2006. Earlier FIFA Rankings considered the performances of teams over a long 8 year period, now it has been reduced to 4 years, so that the teams performing well in the last 2-3-4 years get the rankings they deserve. As of July 2006, the former World Champions Brazil is on the top in the FIFA Rankings, followed by the world champions Italy, and Argentina. The World Cup 2006 runner-up France ranks 4th, while England and the Netherlands rank 5th and 6th respectively in the latest FIFA rankings. Other teams in top 10 FIFA Rankings include Spain (7), Portugal (8), Germany (9), and the Czech Republic (10).

* FIFA Rankings of teams as on July 2006.