New Delhi: The Indian men’s football team has dropped six spots to 133rd in the latest FIFA world rankings, marking its lowest position in nearly nine years.
The slide, confirmed in the rankings released on Thursday, comes in the wake of back-to-back defeats in June.
India suffered a 0-2 loss to Thailand in a friendly on June 4, followed by a 0-1 defeat to lower-ranked Hong Kong in a crucial Asian Cup qualifying match.
The twin setbacks have not only damaged India’s qualification hopes for the 2027 Asian Cup but also triggered the exit of head coach Manolo Marquez, who parted ways with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) shortly after.
This is India’s worst ranking since December 2016, when it stood at 135. The team’s all-time highest FIFA ranking remains 94, achieved in February 1996.
India now has 1113.22 rating points, down from 1132.03, and ranks 24th among the 46 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) nations, a list currently topped by Japan, who sit 17th globally.
The national team has been in a prolonged slump, registering just one win in its last eight outings under Marquez — a 2-0 victory over the Maldives in March.
Of the four matches played in 2025 so far, India has managed one win, one draw, and two defeats.
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Even the return of legendary striker and former captain Sunil Chhetri earlier this year has done little to reverse the team’s downward trajectory.
India’s next challenge is an away fixture against Singapore in the third round of Asian Cup qualifiers, scheduled for October.
Meanwhile, Argentina continues to dominate the global standings, followed by Spain, France, England, Brazil, and Portugal. The top 10 is rounded off by the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia.
