USMNT achieve highest FIFA ranking since 2006 after trophy-filled summer

The US men's national team have doubled their standing in the FIFA World Rankings, cracking the top 10 for the first time since May 2006.

Head coach Gregg Berhalter’s team slotted in at No. 10 in the August 2021 update, vaulting up from the No. 20 spot they achieved in the May 2021 version.

The catalyst behind this shift? The USMNT twice brought home Concacaf silverware this summer against Mexico, first in the inaugural Nations League Final and then in the Gold Cup Final.

Despite that shift, the USMNT still narrowly trails Mexico (No. 9 spot). But there’s little separating the regional rivals after this summer’s exploits, which demonstrated a growing player pool.

And the USMNT soon get the chance to keep climbing when the final round of Concacaf World Cup Qualifying starts Sept. 2 with a 14-match gauntlet that begins at El Salvador. Their first home qualifier will be played Sept. 5 against Canada, who jumped up 11 spots to No. 59 after a Gold Cup semifinal run.

Through that WCQ lens, the top 10 Concacaf nations can be found in the below table (Curacao, Haiti didn't make the Octagonal). You can also peruse the full FIFA World Rankings update, with Belgium still holding onto the No. 1 overall spot.