'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On a night when the stakes were high, the Indian men’s football team suffered a shocking 2-1 defeat to Afghanistan at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati. As a result, they have further dropped in the FIFA rankings and are currently positioned 122nd in the world.
The Blue Tigers started the game against Afghanistan on the front-foot and were rewarded for their efforts with a penalty. Sunil Chhetri, marking his 150th appearance for his country, celebrated the occasion with a goal that ignited a frenzy in Guwahati.
However, the second-half performance from the Blue Tigers saw them lose momentum and concede possession cheaply. They were subsequently punished for their mistakes, with Rahmat Akbari leveling the proceedings before Sharif Mukammad delivered the decisive blow with an 86th-minute penalty to secure all three points.
This not only casts doubt on India’s qualification hopes for the third round, but has also caused a drop in their rankings.
When Igor Stimac took over in 2019, India were ranked 101st. After their successes last year, which included winning the SAFF Championship and victories against teams like Lebanon and Kuwait, India climbed to 99th in the rankings at one point, which arguably secured them a favorable draw in the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
However, the Blue Tigers suffered three losses, while failing to score in the Asian Cup and dropped to 117th. Now, after the draw and the defeat to 158th-ranked Afghanistan, they have hit rock bottom under Stimac’s tenure. On the other hand, Afghanistan currently sit at 151st in the FIFA rankings after the win.
Is Igor Stimac’s position in jeopardy?
Igor Stimac found himself at the center of criticism as Afghanistan, despite missing several key squad members, outperformed India in both games. The Blue Tigers failed to deliver, struggling to create consistent scoring opportunities against the Lions of Khorasan.
The crowd in Guwahati expressed their discontent toward Stimac, mirroring criticisms prevalent among supporters regarding the Croatian’s approach. Despite recently extending his contract, Stimac revealed that he will step down from his position if India fail to qualify for the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
Currently, India remain in second place in the standings with four points. However, Afghanistan are now level on points with them, while Kuwait could surpass them if they defeat Qatar.
The ultimate outcome will hinge on the final matchweek, when the Blue Tigers will host Kuwait before traveling to Qatar to conclude their tournament. India must ultimately secure a victory against Kuwait in June to qualify.
