The Canada women’s national soccer team has slipped down the FIFA rankings, moving one position lower to No. 10. The team began the year at No. 6 but has gradually dropped in the rankings in the subsequent months, with the latest end-of-year ranking released on Thursday confirming the downward trend.
The recent drop in rankings is a result of the team’s four consecutive losses since the previous rankings were published on August 7. The Canadian women suffered 1-0 defeats to both Switzerland (ranked 25th) and the Netherlands (ranked 11th) in the October international matches, followed by 3-0 and 1-0 losses to Japan (ranked 8th) in the November window.
Ending the year on a five-game losing streak, the Canadian women have also struggled to find the back of the net, enduring a goal drought spanning 454 minutes since their last victory, a 4-1 win over Haiti (ranked 50th) on June 27 in Toronto.
Under the guidance of coach Casey Stoney, the team recorded a 6-6-1 record this year. Assistant coach Natalie Henderson acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, “For the players, we know there are bits we need to get better at, 100 per cent. We all know that. We need to raise our standards on and off the pitch.”
Canada has been a consistent presence in the FIFA top 10 since March 2016, with Thursday marking the fourth occasion the team has held the 10th position since then. The team’s highest-ever ranking was No. 4 in March 2018, while it dropped to 13th in various periods, including December 2005, September 2009, and August 2010.
Spain retains the top spot in the rankings, followed by the United States in second place. Germany climbs to No. 3 after finishing as the runner-up to Spain in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, displacing Sweden, which drops to fifth place below unchanged England. Brazil moves up to No. 6, pushing France down to No. 7, with Japan maintaining its position at No. 8. North Korea has surpassed Canada to claim the ninth spot in the rankings.
