Short answers, pulled from the story.
FIFA published its first official list of men's national teams in December 1992. This initial release included all 167 member nations at that time and established a baseline for future comparisons.
Since the 16th of August 2018, the calculation formula has been based on the Elo rating system used in chess and Go. Points are added or subtracted after every game according to a precise mathematical model where results are recorded as zero for losses after regular time and one for victories in normal time.
Argentina held the top position from April 2023 through September 2025 after winning the 2022 World Cup. Spain rose to first place again in late 2025 following victories in Euro 2024 and Nations League play.
World Cup matches before quarter-finals count fifty points while semi-finals and finals reach sixty points. The importance coefficient determines how many points change hands depending on the type of match played with higher values assigned to knockout stages.
Markus Lamprecht and Dr. Hanspeter Stam from the University of Zurich developed this initial model. The original 1992 formula awarded three points for wins, one for draws, and none for losses over an eight-year window.