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What's the Story?
FIFA updated its ranking table on Thursday and India dropped down six places to finish 103. Belgium are still in the numero uno position and Qatar, who won the 2019 Asian Cup, surged 38 places to sit on the 55th position.
In case you don't know..
Footy Rankings had earlier predicted that India would fall six places down on the rankings ladder after bowing out in the group stages of the Asian Cup. The Blue Tigers started the campaign on a high note, obliterating Thailand 4-1 in the opening fixture. However, Stephen Constantine and his boys succumbed 2-0 to UAE and 1-0 to Bahrain in their other group encounters.
The heart of the matter
All the countries, which reached the knockout stages of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, have seen a rise in their rankings. Iran, who bowed out in the semi-finals, climbed 7 places whereas Japan surged 23 places. Korea Republic and India's opponent in the group stages, UAE, too rose 15 and 12 places.
Thailand and Bahrain, India's other two opponents, have climbed three and two places respectively to sit on the 115th and 111th spot. As all the Asian countries experienced a rise in their rankings, the Blue Tigers have fallen out from the top 15 in the continent. They are ranked eighteenth when only Asian countries are taken into account and this could affect India severely when the World Cup Qualifiers' draw takes place.
There is a FIFA International friendly window from 18 March to 26 March where the Blue Tigers can play friendly matches against quality oppositions and increase their rankings provided they win.
However, AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said that the federation will not appoint a senior national team head coach until April 2019. So, India aren't expected to play friendly in the window and may face a tough draw in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, which is slated to begin from later this year.
Here is how the countries are ranked according to the latest FIFA update:
Rank Country
1 Belgium
2 France
3 Brazil
4 Croatia
5 England
6 Portugal
7 Uruguay
8 Switzerland
9 Spain
10 Denmark
11 Argentina
12 Colombia
13 Chile
14 Sweden
14 Netherlands
16 Germany
17 Mexico
18 Italy
19 Wales
20 Poland
20 Peru
22 Iran
23 Austria
24 Senegal
25 USA
25 Romania
27 Japan
28 Tunisia
29 Slovakia
30 Ukraine
31 Serbia
32 Venezuela
33 Paraguay
34 Republic of Ireland
35 Bosnia and Herzegovina
36 Northern Ireland
37 Costa Rica
38 Korea Republic
39 Iceland
40 Scotland
41 Turkey
42 Australia
43 Morocco
44 Czech Republic
45 Greece
46 Nigeria
46 Montenegro
48 Bulgaria
48 Norway
50 Russia
51 Congo DR
52 Hungary
52 Ghana
54 Jamaica
55 Qatar
56 Cameroon
57 Egypt
58 Ecuador
59 Finland
60 Bolivia
61 Albania
62 Burkina Faso
63 Slovenia
63 Honduras
65 Mali
66 Ivory Coast
67 United Arab Emirates
68 Guinea
69 Algeria
70 Saudi Arabia
71 FYR Macedonia
72 China PR
73 El Salvador
74 South Africa
74 Cape Verde Islands
76 Panama
77 Uganda
78 Belarus
79 Canada
80 Iraq
81 Curacao
82 Zambia
83 Syria
84 Congo
85 Lebanon
85 Gabon
87 Luxembourg
87 Cyprus
89 Uzbekistan
90 Oman
91 Georgia
92 Israel
93 Trinidad and Tobago
94 Benin
95 Kyrgyz Republic
96 Estonia
97 Faroe Islands
97 Jordan
99 Vietnam
100 Palestine
101 Mauritania
101 Armenia
103 India
103 Haiti
105 Libya
106 Kenya
107 Madagascar
108 Azerbaijan
109 Niger
110 Namibia
111 Bahrain
112 Central African Republic
113 Zimbabwe
114 Sierra Leone
115 Thailand
116 Mozambique
117 Kazakhstan
118 Guinea-Bissau
119 New Zealand
120 Tajikistan
121 Korea DPR
122 Togo
123 Philippines
124 Chinese Taipei
125 Angola
126 Antigua and Barbuda
127 Sudan
128 Nicaragua
129 Malawi
130 Kosovo
131 Latvia
132 Andorra
133 Lithuania
134 St. Kitts and Nevis
135 Rwanda
136 Turkmenistan
137 Tanzania
138 Myanmar
138 Burundi
140 Swaziland
140 Hong Kong
142 Comoros
143 Yemen
143 Solomon Islands
145 Botswana
146 Lesotho
147 Afghanistan
148 Equatorial Guinea
149 Guatemala
150 Liberia
151 Ethiopia
152 Maldives
153 Suriname
154 Dominican Republic
154 New Caledonia
156 Mauritius
157 Tahiti
158 Kuwait
159 Indonesia
160 Belize
161 Nepal
162 Barbados
163 Vanuatu
164 South Sudan
165 Singapore
166 Gambia
167 Malaysia
168 Papua New Guinea
169 Fiji
170 Moldova
171 St. Lucia
172 Cambodia
173 Grenada
174 Cuba
175 Chad
176 Bermuda
177 Guyana
178 Dominica
179 Puerto Rico
180 St.Vincent/ Grenadines
181 Liechtenstein
182 Malta
183 Macau
184 Laos
185 Sao Tome e Principe
186 Bhutan
187 Aruba
188 Mongolia
189 Seychelles
190 Cook Islands
190 American Samoa
192 Guam
192 Bangladesh
194 Gibraltar
195 Brunei Darussalam
196 Timor-Leste
197 Samoa
197 Djibouti
199 Pakistan
200 Montserrat
201 Sri Lanka
202 US Virgin Islands
203 Cayman Islands
204 Tonga
204 Somalia
204 Eritrea
207 British Virgin Islands
208 Turks and Caicos Islands
209 Anguilla
210 Bahamas
211 San Marino
