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Global Club Rankings: Chelsea Behind Rivals, Nigeria Missing
Chelsea’s historic triumph at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup was not enough to earn them top spot in the latest Opta Club Power Rankings, according to Soccernet.ng.
The Blues lifted the newly expanded trophy in New Jersey on Sunday night after a dominant 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the final. That capped a remarkable season for Chelsea, who also won the UEFA Europa Conference League just weeks earlier.
Their performances on the world stage have seen them jump three places in Opta’s global club standings over the past seven days – but the Stamford Bridge club still only rank sixth in the world, behind a Premier League rival who didn’t even play in the Club World Cup.
Liverpool on top of the world
Liverpool are currently the highest-ranked team on the planet, with a perfect Opta rating of 100.0. Arne Slot’s side cruised to the Premier League title in his first season in charge, delivering consistent results and high-level performances across all competitions.
Their domestic dominance has earned them top spot in the rankings, which are updated after every match based on results, scorelines, and opposition strength.
Arsenal second despite no silverware
Just behind Liverpool are Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who rank second globally with a 99.5 rating – despite ending the 2024/25 season without a trophy.
The Gunners’ run to the Champions League semi-finals, including a stunning 5-1 aggregate win over Real Madrid in the last eight, significantly boosted their score. Their strong Premier League campaign further cemented their standing among the world’s elite.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta clapping during a game in March 2025
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are ranked four spots above Chelsea despite their lack of trophies (image courtesy of IMAGO)
Club World Rankings – top 50 teams, according to Opta
1. Liverpool (England) — 100.0 Opta rating
2. Arsenal (England) — 99.5 Opta rating
3. PSG (France) — 99.1 Opta rating
4. Manchester City (England) — 98.7 Opta rating
5. Barcelona (Spain) — 97.2 Opta rating
6. Chelsea (England) — 96.5 Opta rating
7. Real Madrid (Spain) — 95.8 Opta rating
8. Aston Villa (England) — 95.5 Opta rating
9. Bayern Munich (Germany) — 95.5 Opta rating
10. Newcastle United (England) — 95.5 Opta rating
11. Inter Milan (Italy) — 95.0 Opta rating
12. Crystal Palace (England) — 94.4 Opta rating
13. Brighton & Hove Albion (England) — 93.8 Opta rating
14. Atletico Madrid (Spain) — 92.8 Opta rating
15. Bournemouth (England) — 92.3 Opta rating
16. Benfica (Portugal) — 92.2 Opta rating
17. Napoli (Italy) — 92.2 Opta rating
18. Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) — 92.1 Opta rating
19. Atalanta (Italy) — 92.0 Opta rating
20. Borussia Dortmund (Germany) — 92.0 Opta rating
21. Brentford (England) — 92.0 Opta rating
22. Nottingham Forest (England) — 92.0 Opta rating
23. Sporting CP (Portugal) — 91.8 Opta rating
24. Manchester United (England) — 91.5 Opta rating
25. Roma (Italy) — 91.5 Opta rating
26. Everton (England) — 91.3 Opta rating
27. Tottenham Hotspur (England) — 91.1 Opta rating
28. Club Brugge (Belgium) — 90.9 Opta rating
29. Fulham (England) — 90.8 Opta rating
30. PSV (Netherlands) — 90.8 Opta rating
31. Juventus (Italy) — 90.7 Opta rating
32. AC Milan (Italy) — 90.6 Opta rating
33. Lille (France) — 90.5 Opta rating
34. Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) — 90.5 Opta rating
35. Villarreal (Spain) — 90.1 Opta rating
36. Monaco (France) — 90.0 Opta rating
37. West Ham United (England) — 89.8 Opta rating
38. Lazio (Italy) — 89.7 Opta rating
39. Athletic Club (Spain) — 89.6 Opta rating
40. Olympique Lyonnais (France) — 89.6 Opta rating
41. Olympique Marseille (France) — 89.5 Opta rating
42. Wolverhampton Wanderers (England) — 89.2 Opta rating
43. Bologna (Italy) — 89.1 Opta rating
44. Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) — 88.8 Opta rating
45. Fiorentina (Italy) — 88.7 Opta rating
46. Feyenoord (Netherlands) — 88.3 Opta rating
47. Galatasaray (Turkey) — 88.2 Opta rating
48. Stuttgart (Germany) — 87.9 Opta rating
49. Nice (France) — 87.8 Opta rating
50. RB Leipzig (Germany) — 87.7 Opta rating
List correct as of July 14, 2025.
What are the Opta Club Power Rankings?
While international football has FIFA-approved world rankings, no such system officially exists for club football.
To fill that gap, sports data giants Opta have created their own Club Power Rankings — a global system based on a version of the Elo model. Originally developed for chess, Elo ratings calculate the relative strength of teams based on match results, scorelines, and the quality of opposition.
Opta’s version applies this methodology globally, with ratings scored from 0 to 100. Each club’s rating is updated after every official match, allowing for dynamic, cross-continental comparisons throughout the season.
Where do the Nigerian clubs rank globally?
While no NPFL club has cracked the global top 100, some have earned recognition in Opta’s wider world rankings.
Remo Stars, currently 55th among all African teams, are Nigeria’s highest-ranked club with an Opta rating of 67.3. That puts them 900th in the world. They sit 204 places ahead of Enyimba.
Meanwhile, Rivers United, Kano Pillars, and Bendel Insurance are 1,129th, 1,137th and 1,184th respectively.
Top 20 Nigerian clubs based on Opta world rankings
1. Remo Stars — 71.7 Opta rating, world ranking 900
2. Rivers United — 70.3 Opta rating, world ranking 1104
3. Ikorodu City — 70.1 Opta rating, world ranking 1129
4. Plateau United — 70.0 Opta rating, world ranking 1137
5. Enyimba — 69.6 Opta rating, world ranking 1184
6. Abia Warriors — 69.6 Opta rating, world ranking 1196
7. Bendel Insurance — 69.4 Opta rating, world ranking 1227
8. Bayelsa United — 69.4 Opta rating, world ranking 1233
9. Nasarawa United — 69.2 Opta rating, world ranking 1254
10. Enugu Rangers — 69.2 Opta rating, world ranking 1262
11. Shooting Stars — 68.8 Opta rating, world ranking 1321
12. Akwa United — 68.1 Opta rating, world ranking 1433
13. Kano Pillars — 68.1 Opta rating, world ranking 1442
14. Kwara United — 68.1 Opta rating, world ranking 1445
15. Katsina United — 68.0 Opta rating, world ranking 1460
16. Heartland — 67.9 Opta rating, world ranking 1480
17. Niger Tornadoes — 67.8 Opta rating, world ranking 1496
18. El Kanemi Warriors — 67.3 Opta rating, world ranking 1578
19. Sunshine Stars — 66.4 Opta rating, world ranking 1752
20. Lobi Stars — 63.7 Opta rating, world ranking 2409
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