Ireland unchanged in 24th as Spain top FIFA rankings

The Republic of Ireland remain unchanged at 24th in the FIFA rankings, while Women's World Cup winners Spain have ascended to the top spot for the first time.

Six consecutive Women's Nations League victories under Eileen Gleeson's interim stewardship of Ireland weren't enough to budge the team's ranking since the last list update in August, with their highest ranking over the last year being 22nd.

Announcement of a permanent replacement for Vera Pauw is expected in the coming days.

Spain displaced Sweden, who drop to fifth, from the number one place and are just the fourth nation to hold the coveted top spot since the rankings were first compiled in 2003.

The World Cup holders occupy the mantle also formerly enjoyed by the United States and Sweden after an impressive string of performances in the Women's Nations League, where they topped their group with five wins - including a double over Sweden - to qualify for the Nations League Finals in February, when they will face the Netherlands in the semis.

The US moved up to second in the rankings and are followed by France in third spot.

France also qualified for the Nations League Finals where they will face Germany in the other semi-final.

European champions England, who missed out on a Paris Olympics berth, are fourth.

The number of teams in the women's rankings also grew to a record 192 nations, with the introduction of Central African Republic and Macau, while North Korea (ninth), American Samoa, Madagascar and Bahamas reappear on the list.