Vietnam’s national football team made a significant leap in the latest FIFA rankings for October, climbing three spots to 111th globally following two consecutive victories over Nepal in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.

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Vietnam defeats Nepal in both legs – Photo: Huu Ha

Thanks to a 3-1 and 1-0 win against Nepal, Coach Kim Sang Sik’s squad earned an additional 13.7 ranking points. These results also helped Vietnam stay competitive in Group F of the qualifiers, trailing group leaders Malaysia by just three points.

Malaysia also enjoyed a successful campaign, securing back-to-back wins against Laos. They gained 13.3 points and jumped five positions in the rankings, narrowing the gap with Vietnam to just seven places.

Meanwhile, Thailand reaffirmed its top spot in Southeast Asia, climbing five places to 96th in the world after a pair of wins over Chinese Taipei. Thailand remains the only team in the region ranked within FIFA’s global top 100.

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In contrast, Indonesia had a disappointing month. Losses to Saudi Arabia and Iraq in the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers cost them 13.21 points, dropping them three places to 122nd. These defeats officially eliminated Indonesia from World Cup contention and cast doubt on their aggressive naturalization campaign.

In the FIFA global top 10, Spain continues to lead, while Argentina overtook France to claim second place. The Netherlands surpassed Brazil to secure sixth, with both Italy and Germany also improving their rankings.

Thien Binh