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MBABANE- Eswatini’s low FIFA ranking excludes it from the Ballon d’Or voting jury, missing a golden opportunity in football’s most prestigious award.
The kingdom is currently ranked 165th in the world, according to FIFA’s official rankings published on July 20, 2026, placing it outside the top 100 countries whose journalists qualify to vote for the men’s award.
Eswatini’s highest-ever ranking was 88th, achieved in 2017 under the stewardship of former national team Coach Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga, who later served as Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs.
The achievement remains a significant milestone in the country’s football history, with the national team having since slipped down the international rankings.
Under the current Ballon d’Or regulations, the men’s award is decided by specialist journalists representing the 100 highest-ranked countries in the FIFA men’s world rankings. Each eligible journalist ranks 10 players from a shortlist of 30, with points awarded according to their positions.
The player with the highest aggregate total wins the award.
The 2017 Ballon d’Or was won by Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who was recognised after helping Real Madrid win the UEFA Champions League and La Liga. He finished ahead of Argentina Captain Lionel Messi, with Brazilian forward Neymar in third place.
Ronaldo’s victory was his fifth Ballon d’Or title, bringing him level with Messi at the time.
The award has since been won by Luka Modrić in 2018, Lionel Messi in 2019, Karim Benzema in 2022, Messi again in 2023, Rodri in 2024 and Ousmane Dembélé in 2025. The award was not presented in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eswatini’s current ranking means the country falls outside the eligible group under the present voting system. However, the rules governing the jury have changed over the years, meaning the country’s 2017 ranking cannot by itself establish when it last participated in the vote.
Although the absence of a national representative does not prevent Eswatini-born players from being nominated or winning the award, it denies the country a place in the current men’s voting process.
The situation highlights how Sihlangu’s international standing carries implications beyond tournament qualification and regional football competition, extending to the country’s representation in the global game.