diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/plugin-loader-deterministic-fuzzy-match.yml b/changelogs/fragments/plugin-loader-deterministic-fuzzy-match.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0cbd977d91c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/plugin-loader-deterministic-fuzzy-match.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - plugin loader - Sort results when fuzzy matching plugin names (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/77966).
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
index a06a5e0f052..7970e31e1e4 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
@@ -543,6 +543,8 @@ class PluginLoader:
         if not found_files:
             return plugin_load_context.nope('failed fuzzy extension match for {0} in {1}'.format(full_name, acr.collection))
 
+        found_files = sorted(found_files)  # sort to ensure deterministic results, with the shortest match first
+
         if len(found_files) > 1:
             # TODO: warn?
             pass