Tokyo-bound Zambia are among several teams to have earned a FIFA Women's World Ranking boost following a busy start to the year.

A combination of Women’s Olympic Football Tournament qualifiers and several friendly tournaments have served to cause significant movement across the continents. And while the Zambians (100th, up 6) are this edition’s biggest climbers thanks to their shock preliminary triumph over Cameroon, they are not the only team ascending the order.

France (3rd, up 1), Brazil (8th, up 1), Korea DPR (10th, up 1) and Korea Republic (18th, up 2) edged upwards in the top 20, while Slovenia (49th, up 1) and Jamaica (50th, up 1) reached their highest-ever positions.

In truth, these gains were often indebted as much to others’ struggles as to the rising team’s successes. Korea DPR leapfrogged Japan (11th, down 1), for example, due to the Nadeshiko suffering three straight losses at the SheBelieves Cup, while Slovenia and Jamaica advanced thanks to that surprise qualifying defeat inflicted on Cameroon (51st, down 2).

At the very top, USA’s (1st, unchanged) long reign continues after the world champions lifted the SheBelieves Cup on home soil. But Germany (2nd, unchanged) at least narrowed the gap after impressing at the Algarve Cup gaining 12 Ranking points – more than any other top-10 team in this edition.

The global order also welcomed its newest addition, with Gambia (113th) increasing the number of teams ranked to 159 – the second-highest number on record.

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking will be published on 26 June 2020.