Ghana maintained its 52nd position on the FIFA ranking released on Monday despite avoiding defeat in two high profile matches this month.

The Black Stars played a goalless stalemate with Uganda in Kampala in their penultimate 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

But recharged and thumped World Cup-bound Saudi Arabia 3-0 in Jeddah in an international friendly.

Ghana are now 8th in Africa behind some of the in-form sides, including Nigeria but ahead of Ivory Coast.

Tunisia are the highest ranked nation on the continent after moving three places up in the world ranking.

Egypt have been rewarded with the second spot after securing a World Cup spot for the first time since 1990.

However, on the global stage, Peru have climbed into the top ten for the first time in an edition marked by the recent, decisive FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The Peruvians, who qualified for an Intercontinental Play-off against New Zealand, were joined in the Ranking’s upper echelons by Spain, who climbed from 11th to 8th on the back of an impressive conclusion to their unbeaten qualifying campaign.

The table makes pleasant reading for many European nations, with Germany holding on to top spot and France (7, up 1), England (12, up 3), Denmark (19, up 7), Scotland (29, up 14) and Austria (39, up 18) among others making significant gains.

The next ranking will be released in November.