Indian football team rise five spots in latest FIFA Rankings after win over Hong Kong

India are currently ranked 136th in the FIFA Men’s world rankings.

While the views around the Indian senior men’s national team have been down and depressing in recent months, with a second-round elimination from the FIFA World Cup and a last-place finish in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, there has been some good news for Indian football fans to cheer about.

The Blue Tigers, managed by Khalid Jamil, have risen five ranks in the FIFA Men’s World Rankings to 136 after sliding steadily in the previous several international windows. The rise in rankings came shortly after the recent victory in the last game of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in Kochi.

While this leap is not going to guarantee India a spot in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup or the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it is nevertheless a morale boost for the players and supporters to keep pushing and working harder for better outcomes in the future.

How did India climb up five spots?

Coming into the March international window, India was ranked 141st in the FIFA Men’s global rankings. The Blue Tigers were only slated to play one game during the break, and a win over 153rd-ranked Hong Kong was critical for Khalid Jamil and his players to reverse the team’s downward trend in rankings.

And India was able to secure a win, defeating Hong Kong 2–1 in the last game of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Ryan Williams and Akash Mishra scored the goals, securing not just a much-needed victory but also a substantial rise in FIFA global rankings.

With this victory, India’s coefficient points increased by 11.51, bringing the total to 1091.03. While the triumph contributed to the favourable shift in rankings, it was the performances of the teams around India that allowed them to leap five places in one go.

The losses of Malaysia and Turkmenistan, along with the fact that the Central African Republic did not play any games, allowed the Indian National team to move from 141 to 136. India has moved up three ranks in the AFC standings, from 28 to 25.

What does this mean for Khalid Jamil and his players?

This is Khalid Jamil and his team’s first win in seven games. While they were able to defeat Oman on penalties and Bhutan in a closed-door game in the seven-game run, this is their first victory in a regular international game within the 90 minutes without extra time. Their last victory was against Tajikistan in the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup, Khalid Jamil’s first game in command of the Blue Tigers.

The head coach would be pleased with both the win and the rise in rankings, as it would bolster his team’s confidence following a string of poor performances in recent months. As far as the players are concerned, a positive step after a series of bad strides will push them to perform better in the forthcoming games and re-enter the top 100, which is not difficult and was accomplished three years ago.

Khalid Jamil and his players will be disappointed to have only played one game during this window, as another game against an evenly competitive team may have resulted in a win and a further rise in the FIFA rankings.

What does this mean for the fans?

For supporters who have stuck with this team through thick and thin over the years and witnessed the team’s rapid decline from top 100 to 140 in a span of around 18 months, this is a little moral victory. This provides fans with more hope and excitement to support the Indian National Team in the forthcoming matches.

What is next for Indian Football Team?

As of now, the Indian National Team has no scheduled games after being eliminated from both the FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. The Blue Tigers are likely to reassemble after the current 2025/26 Indian Super League concludes in late May.

As Khalid Jamil stated in the post-match press conference following the Hong Kong victory in Kochi, the All-Indian Football Federation (AIFF) is making efforts to schedule regular friendly matches for the Blue Tigers against higher-ranked teams, both at home as well as elsewhere.

With the arrival of Ryan Williams and a win over Hong Kong, the excitement around football in India is high, and the Blue Tigers must take advantage of this opportunity to play additional friendlies throughout the summer and become accustomed to facing better physical teams.

Who are holding the top spots in the FIFA World Rankings?

Following victories against Brazil and Colombia, France moves up two positions to become the new number one in the FIFA global rankings. They have a co-efficient point of 1877.32, with Spain and Argentina following closely after in second and third position, with 1876.40 and 1874.81 points respectively. Despite their loss to Japan, England remains fourth, while Portugal replaces Brazil in the top five.

With two victories against Scotland and England, Japan remains the top-ranked Asian team, with Iran and South Korea trailing closely behind.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.