According to the newest update from FIFA following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Vietnam have fallen one spot, from 107th to 108th in the world. Their current points total stands at 1189.51.

The drop is mainly attributed to the team’s lack of international matches since November, when they last played and won against Laos during the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.

During that period, several teams previously ranked below Vietnam were active in regional competitions - most notably AFCON - and managed to boost their points. Among them, Comoros made a notable leap by earning 7.08 points through two draws against Mali and Zambia, helping them climb three places in the global standings.

In Southeast Asia, Vietnam currently rank second, behind Thailand who hold the 96th position. Malaysia (121st) and Indonesia (122nd) have both maintained their positions in this update.

Despite the slip, Vietnam still have a strong path ahead to improve their ranking. In March, the “Golden Star Warriors” will return to action in their final Asian Cup 2027 qualifying match against Malaysia.

If FIFA rules in Vietnam’s favor regarding a potential forfeit by Malaysia - due to an alleged violation involving naturalized players - not only would Vietnam be well-positioned to secure a place at the Asian Cup finals, but they would also benefit significantly in upcoming ranking updates.

At the top of the table, Spain maintain their hold on the number-one spot. Meanwhile, Morocco have surged three positions to reach eighth place after advancing to the AFCON final.

Thien Binh