India Slip Three Places to 139th in FIFA Rankings
IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata, June 8: Series of disappointing performances on the international stage, the Indian men’s football team has slipped three places to 139th position in FIFA’s live rankings as of Sunday. The decline comes after a run of poor results, with the Blue Tigers suffering three consecutive defeats, raising concerns about the team's form ahead of upcoming competitions.
India's latest setback came in the first of two scheduled international friendly matches against Tajikistan, where the team suffered a defeat. Prior to that, the side had already endured back-to-back losses in the Unity Cup 2026 campaign. The consecutive defeats have had a direct impact on India's standing in the FIFA rankings, causing the team to lose valuable ranking points.
The Blue Tigers are scheduled to face Tajikistan once again on June 9 in the second international friendly, which now takes on added importance as the team looks to halt its losing streak and improve its ranking prospects.
The latest drop comes as a significant setback considering the progress India had made earlier this year. In the previous FIFA rankings update released on April 1, the team coached by Khalid Jamil had climbed five places to 136th position following a 2-1 victory over Hong Kong in the final match of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.
The momentum gained from that victory has since faded. Over the past few weeks, India has suffered defeats against Jamaica by a score of 0-2, Zimbabwe by 0-1, and Tajikistan by 1-3. The string of losses has not only affected the team’s confidence but has also resulted in a slide down the FIFA rankings table.
The decline to 139th place highlights the challenges facing Indian football as it seeks to establish itself more consistently on the international stage. With another friendly match against Tajikistan approaching, the team will be eager to secure a positive result and begin rebuilding momentum ahead of future international assignments. The upcoming fixture could prove crucial in determining whether India can arrest its recent decline and move back up the global rankings.
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