The cancellation of last month's Australia-Argentina friendly soccer match has cost both countries in the world rankings, released on Thursday.

With neither country playing a match in March, the Socceroos have dropped three places to 48th while Argentina has dropped out of the top five, falling two places to sixth.

Australia remains the top side in the Oceania confederation, with New Zealand falling out of the top 50, down two places to 52nd.

But the Socceroos have been overtaken by Greece and Ukraine, with Wales and Jamaica breathing down Australia's neck.

Brazil, Spain and France remain the top three nations, followed by Germany and the Netherlands (both up one place), Argentina, England (up two places), Turkey and Mexico (both down one place) and the United States of America (unchanged).

The biggest climbers are Cuba (55th, up 18) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (72nd, up 16).

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