Vietnam captain Do Duy Manh (L) and Malaysia naturalized player Rodrigo Holgado during the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier between Malaysia and Vietnam on June 10, 2025. Photo by MalaysiaNT |
According to the rankings released on Dec. 22, Vietnam has risen to 107th in the world with 1,189.51 points. This position places them 19th in Asia and second in Southeast Asia. The leap of three spots brought the team their highest ranking of the year and the most significant increase of any nation this month.
The boost comes from a 2-0 victory over Laos in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers on Nov. 19. The win added 5.89 points, allowing Vietnam them to surpass Niger, Lebanon and Comoros. Lebanon dropped points after a defeat to Sudan in the FIFA Arab Cup play-offs, while Comoros lost ground despite a play-off win due to three consecutive group stage losses against Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
In contrast, Malaysia had a difficult month, plummeting five places from 116th to 121st. The drop, the largest of any team in the December update, was driven by FIFA sanctions applied to three friendly matches in which Malaysia fielded ineligible naturalized players, resulting in 0-3 forfeit losses and point deductions.
Singapore also enjoyed a productive month, matching Vietnam’s three-place climb. Their victory over Hong Kong in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers propelled the Lions to 148th, their highest position in nine years. However, FIFA Vietnam was named the month’s biggest climber due to their higher position.
The top 10 remained unchanged as Spain held firm at number one with 1,877.18 points. Argentina follows closely in second (1,873.33 points), with France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Croatia rounding out the elite group. Morocco, fresh from winning the Arab Cup, gained 3.22 points but remained at 11th, sitting just 0.54 points behind Croatia.
The FIFA ranking serve as the critical basis for seeding in major tournaments, including the World Cup, Asian Cup, the re-formatted FIFA ASEAN Cup and the newly born AFC Nations League. Vietnam’s all-time highest ranking remains 84th, achieved in September 1998.
Vietnam will play their next official match against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers on March 31, 2026.
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