Nigeria are Africa's highest ranked team

Mauritania and Eritrea are the best African climbers in the latest Fifa ranking released on Wednesday.

The two countries moved up 42 places each following surprising victories in their opening Nations Cup qualifiers earlier this month.

Mauritania moved up to 124th following their 4-0 victory over Botswana in Group Two.

Eritrea's shocking 2-1 win over Kenya in Nairobi in Group Six helped them to climb to the 135th position.

Nigeria are still Africa's best rated team, according the September rankings.

Cameroon's Indomitable Lions remain in second place.

African Rankings - September 2006 (world rankings in brackets):

1. Nigeria (11)
2. Cameroon (12)
3. Ivory Coast (19)
4. Ghana (23)
5. Guinea (26)
6. Egypt (27)
7. Tunisia (31)
8. Senegal (33)
9. Morocco (41)
10. Togo (48)
11. Angola (52)
12. Zambia (55)
13. Mali (60)
14. DR Congo (64)
15. Zimbabwe (73)
16. South Africa (76)
17. Algeria (83)
18. Gabon (84)
19. Ethiopia (86)
20. Libya (89)
21. Equatorial Guinea (90)
22. Malawi (95)
23. Burkina Faso (97)
24. Uganda (99)
25. Congo (100)
26. Benin (101)
27. Botswana (104)
28. Tanzania (105)
29. Rwanda (106)
30. Sudan (110)
31. Cape Verde Islands (113)
32. Gambia (119)
33. Mauritania (124)
34. Mauritius (126)
35. Kenya (127)
36. Chad (132)
37. Sierra Leone (133)
38. Mozambique (134)
39. Eritrea (135)
40. Namibia (139)
41. Liberia (143)
42. Lesotho (144)
43. Seychelles (146)
44. Swaziland (150)
45. Burundi(159)
46. Niger (167)
47. Madagascar (168)
48. Central African Republic (178)
49. Guinea-Bissau (181)
49. Somalia (181)
51. Djibouti (198)
51. S�o Tom� e Pr�ncipe (198)