In the latest update of the FIFA Men’s World Rankings, India has officially made a comeback to the top 100. The Indian national football team, known as the Blue Tigers, experienced a significant rise by gaining 4.24 ranking points due to their impressive performance in June. They secured 5 wins and 2 draws in seven games played across the Intercontinental Cup and the SAFF Championship. As a result, India is now placed at the 100th position globally.
This jump in rankings is particularly crucial as it positions India as the 18th-ranked team in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Such progress holds significant importance for the upcoming draw of the World Cup qualifiers, scheduled for later this month. Lebanon’s loss to India in the Intercontinental Cup final has caused them to lose 1 ranking point, leading to a swap in positions between the two nations in the AFC rankings.
Consequently, India is likely to be placed in Pot 2 during the draw for the second round of World Cup qualifiers, while Lebanon is expected to drop down to Pot 3. Although there is still a chance for these positions to change, with India set to face Lebanon in the semifinal of the SAFF Championship, India currently holds a 3.16-point advantage over Lebanon in the rankings, which might prove insurmountable.
India’s crucial 2-0 victory over Lebanon in the Intercontinental Cup final, with goals from Sunil Chhetri and Lallianzuala Chhangte, has been the most significant result in the past month. Earlier, it was highlighted by ESPN that India could not afford to lose any games against Lebanon. So far, under the guidance of coach Igor Stimac, the Indian team has successfully met that requirement.
If India concludes the SAFF Championship without any changes to their FIFA ranking, they would find themselves as the lowest-ranked team in Pot 2 for the World Cup qualifiers draw. This means that India would avoid facing teams from Pot 2 during the qualifiers. In simpler terms, Stimac’s team would not have to worry about playing against eight out of the seventeen Asian nations ranked higher than them in the second round of the World Cup qualifiers.
The second round of World Cup qualifiers will consist of nine groups, each comprising four teams, with two teams advancing from each group to the third round. If India is placed in Pot 2, they would be considered the favourites based on rankings to progress to the next round of the qualifying program. The top two nations from each group in the third round of qualifiers, which will feature three groups of six teams each, will directly qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Further playoffs will be conducted for teams after that stage.
