India Drops to 133rd in FIFA Rankings After Two Defeats
The Indian men's football team has dropped six places to rank 133rd in the latest FIFA rankings released on July 10. This significant setback comes after back-to-back losses against Thailand and Hong Kong.
On June 4, India lost 0–2 to Thailand in an international friendly match. Following that, they suffered another 0–1 defeat to lower-ranked Hong Kong during the Asian Cup qualifying rounds. These poor performances have severely impacted India’s ranking and qualification hopes for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
As of now, India holds 1113.22 FIFA rating points. The recent decline marks one of the worst periods for the team since December 2016, when they were ranked 135th globally.
To make matters worse, head coach Manolo Márquez resigned from his position following the defeats, ending his tenure with the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The team now faces uncertainty both in leadership and performance.
The loss against Hong Kong has especially put India's qualification campaign for the 2027 Asian Cup in jeopardy, raising concerns about the team’s strategy and preparation going forward.