Indian football team drop three places in latest FIFA rankings after poor run of form

Indian men’s senior team rankings drop to its lowest in nine years.

The Indian football team has been dealt another blow, dropping down the FIFA World Rankings in the latest update released. The Blue Tigers have dropped three places to 136th, marking an unfortunate dip that reflects the team’s ongoing struggle for consistency on the international stage.

This drop comes at a crucial point for the Blue Tigers, with the national side following a string of underwhelming performances in the recent fixtures against Singapore, despite a good performance in the CAFA Nations Cup

The slide in rankings not only decreased India’s standing in Asia but also raises questions about the team’s long-term future as they prepare for the next phase of the AFC qualification.

A mixed bag of results for team India under Khalid Jamil

The appointment of Khalid Jamil in August 2025, who was the first Indian head coach of the Indian national team in 13 years, was seen as the dawn of a new era for the Blue Tigers. After the contrasting reigns of Igor Stimac and Manolo Marquez, both of whom failed to deliver progress, Khalid Jamil’s arrival was meant to reset the narrative.

The early signs seemed encouraging. Under Khalid Jamil, the Blue Tigers showed glimpses of promise during the CAFA Nations Cup, managing to finish third even against a challenging opposition.

The recent defeat to Singapore not only delayed that momentum but also placed Khalid Jamil under immediate pressure as questions are being asked about consistency, creativity in attack, and whether the team can translate flashes of improvement into lasting results, especially when they are falling drastically.

Also Read: India U-23 Football Team to play two friendlies against Thailand as Asian Games preparations continue

India drop to 25th place in the AFC rankings

The Khalid Jamil-led side are currently ranked in No. 25 in terms of the AFC teams in the FIFA World Rankings. They are now ranked lower than the likes of Malaysia, Korea DPR, and Indonesia. Japan is currently the highest-ranked AFC team at the 19th position, with Iran (21st) and the Korea Republic (22nd) behind them.

What is next for the Blue Tigers ?

The Blue Tigers are undergoing major structural changes after the departure of Manolo Marquez. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has appointed Khalid Jamil as the head Coach who has had mixed results.

A loss against Singapore saw them out of contention for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 and will have to wait till November 2027 for any competitive fixture.

They are currently poised to get back to action in November (2025) when they face Bangladesh in their next set of AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

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