Canadian soccer women move up to sixth on world ranking

Canada has moved up to sixth place on the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking, the highest position ever for the national team since the rankings were introduced in 2003. Canada posted the biggest jump of any nation, gaining 54 points on the heels of eight wins, two draws and one loss in the three-plus months since the last ranking in November. The most recent ranking includes Canada’s first-place finish at the 12-team Cyprus Women’s Cup from 2-9 March.

The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Rankings looks at each country’s international results from the last four years. The ranking takes into account the result, the importance of the match, the strength of the opponent, the regional strength, the time period, and the number of matches per year. The ranking comes out four times a year.

Canada is now one of six countries with 2,000 or more points on the ranking. Canada (2,028) joins USA (2,191), Germany (2,153), Brazil (2,098), Japan (2,062) and Sweden (2,043) in the top group of six nations. This marks the first time ever that Canada has eclipsed the 2,000-point milestone.

Canada had previously ranked as high as 9th overall several times over the last four years. Canada and China PR played the most matches of any nation in the most recent quarter, 11 matches from December to early March. Canada’s 54-point jump nearly doubled its previous biggest jump of 28 points in November 2010. Canada has gained 82 points and jumped seven places on the ranking (from 13th to 6th) in the last six months.

Since 30 September 2010, Canada’s international record is 14 wins, two draws and one loss. Canada finished first at the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifier, first at the 2010 Torneio Internacional in Brazil, second at the 2011 Yongchuan Cup Four-Nation Women’s Tournament in China PR, and first at the 2011 Cyprus Women’s Cup in Cyprus.

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP RANKING

1 USA 2,191
2 Germany 2,153
3 Brazil 2,098
4 Japan 2,062
5 Sweden 2,043
6 Canada 2,028
7 France 1,997
8 Korea DPR 1,995
9 Norway 1,989
10 England 1,962