The following are FIFA’s world rankings as of August 28, 1996.

Rank Country July Ranking
1 Brazil 1
2 Germany 2
3 France 3
4 Czech Republic 4
5 Italy 5
6 Netherlands 6
7 Spain 8
8 Russia 9
9 Sweden 7
10 Denmark 10
11 Colombia 12
12 Portugal 11
13 England 13
14 Mexico 14
15 Zambia 16
16 South Africa 18
17 Bulgaria 19
18 Romania 23
19 Ghana 20
20 USA 17
21 Chile 29
22 Tunisia 21
23 Croatia 22
24 Argentina 15
25 Norway 24
26 Japan 25
27 Egypt 27
28 Ivory Coast 28
29 Turkey 31
30 Greece 35
31 Switzerland 26
32 Ecuador 32
33 Trinidad & Tobago 34
34 Morocco 33
35 Bolibia 36
36 Scotland 30
37 Ireland 40
38 Slovakia 37
39 Jamaica 45
40 Saudi Arabia 41
41 South Korea 53
42 Austria 42
43 Algeria 44
— Belgium 43
45 Cameroon 39
46 Paraguay 63
— Gabon 46
48 Honduras 49
49 Nigeria 47
50 Thailand 61