Cape Town - Bafana Bafana have moved up one place up in the latest FIFA world rankings and broken into the Top 15 in Africa, which were released on Thursday.
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South Africa are now ranked as the world's 59th-best side as Shakes Mashaba’s charges moved back into the Top 15 on the continent, moving past Zambia.
There were relatively few changes in the rankings due to only a small number of fixtures being played in the period with no change in the world's Top 10.
The biggest move made in the world rankings was by Suriname as they shot up 46 places to 155th.
Meanwhile, Mashaba will hope to improve on Bafana’s early AFCON exit from this year's tournament after they were grouped with Cameroon, Gambia and Mauritania in the qualification rounds for the 2017 edition to be held in Gabon.
Mauritania, the team to have dropped the most in the latest rankings period, are also Bafana Bafana’s opponents in the 2017 AFCON qualifying.
Bafana Bafana’s fixtures:
South Africa v Gambia (June, 12, 13, 14, 2015)
Mauritania v South Africa (September, 4, 5, 6, 2015)
Cameroon v South Africa (March, 23, 24, 25, 26, 2016)
South Africa v Cameroon (March, 26, 27, 28, 29, 2016)
Gambia v South Africa (June, 3, 4, 5 2016)
South Africa v Mauritania (September, 2, 3, 4, 2016)
FIFA world rankings
1. Germany
2. Argentina
3. Belgium
4. Colombia
5. Brazil
6. Netherlands
7. Portugal
8. Uruguay
9. Switzerland
10. Spain
Also:
59. South Africa
CAF rankings
1. Algeria
2. Ivory Coast
3. Ghana
4. Tunisia
5. Senegal
6. Cape Verde Islands
7. Guinea
8. Nigeria
9. Cameroon
10. Congo
11. Egypt
12. Congo DR
13. Gabon
14. Mali
15. South Africa