FIFA to update player power rankings after every World Cup match

Players competing in the 2026 World Cup will have their individual performances measured by a new FIFA Power Rankings system announced on Thursday.

The data-driven system will produce a list of the top 100 performers and will be updated after every match at the 48-team tournament that begins next week in North America.

According to a press release, the rankings will be based on FIFA's unique match data and algorithms and will provide "objective insight into how players perform across key areas of the game."

FIFA said the program was developed by "football experts" under the guidance of Arsene Wenger, the longtime Arsenal manager who is currently FIFA's chief of global football development.

"Performance will no longer be judged by opinion alone," Wenger said. "With the new FIFA Power Rankings, every player will be measured through objective match data across attacking, creativity and defending, setting a new global standard for individual performance in football."

In every match, each outfield player who meets the minutes played threshold will receive a score from zero to 10 across three core performance areas: attacking, creativity and defending. Goalkeepers will be assessed in two categories: in possession and defending the goal.

Rankings will go live once every team in the tournament has completed its first match. From that point, it will updated after every match.

--Field Level Media