Higher FIFA ranking vital for favorable qualifiers draw, says Ab Ghani

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's FIFA ranking has risen three spots to 133rd, putting the team in a more favorable position for upcoming World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers. The national squad earned 15.87 points, bringing their total to 1,102.09 and advancing from 136th. This improvement has propelled Malaysia to fourth place in Southeast Asia, surpassing the Philippines.

Thailand remains the top-ranked Southeast Asian team at 93rd, followed by Vietnam in 99th and Indonesia in 116th. Behind Malaysia and the Philippines, the regional standings include Singapore at 149th, Myanmar at 159th, Cambodia at 177th, Laos at 188th, Brunei at 196th, and Timor-Leste at 202nd. At the continental level, Malaysia has climbed to 23rd among the AFC's 47 member associations, moving ahead of Kuwait (134th) and India (138th).

This ranking boost is a result of Harimau Malaya's strong performance at the recent FIFA Asean Cup in Indonesia, where the team won 3-0 against Bangladesh, defeated Singapore 6-0, drew 0-0 with Indonesia, and won the third-place playoff 1-0. This climb marks Malaysia's return to this ranking position, which they last held in October 2024.

Despite this progress, FAM president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan cautions against complacency as the team aims to secure crucial ranking points and climb to the top 100. Ab Ghani emphasizes that Harimau Malaya must capitalize on every international window to improve their ranking and potentially reclaim the Southeast Asian top spot. He stresses that reaching at least Pot 2 in the draws for the World Cup and 2031 Asian Cup qualifiers, scheduled for June, would be beneficial.

Malaysia will have an immediate chance to earn more ranking points during the November international window, with FAM organizing two Tier 1 friendlies against China, ranked 91st, in Guangzhou on November 14 and 17.