The new ranking, released on Friday, compounds the Blue Tigers\u2019 woes as they find themselves out of contention for both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Once seen as a team on the rise after their 2023 triumphs in the Intercontinental Cup, SAFF Championship, and Tri-Nation Series, India\u2019s fortunes have sharply declined over the past year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That period of promise \u2014 which saw them climb into the top 100 of the rankings \u2014 was followed by a disastrous AFC Asian Cup campaign in Qatar earlier this year, where they exited in the group stage without scoring a single goal in three defeats.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Since then, the national setup has struggled for stability, cycling through three head coaches in less than two years. Igor \u0160timac was first shown the door, succeeded by Manolo M\u00e1rquez, who himself made way for Khalid Jamil earlier this year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite flashes of progress under Jamil \u2014 particularly during the CAFA Nations Cup, a friendly tournament where India showed tactical improvement \u2014 the results in competitive fixtures have remained disappointing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The team\u2019s last victory in a competitive match came nearly a year ago, a 1-0 win over Kuwait in November 2023.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite flashes of progress under Jamil \u2014 particularly during the CAFA Nations Cup, a friendly tournament where India showed tactical improvement \u2014 the results in competitive fixtures have remained disappointing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The updated rankings will determine seedings for the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup draw, to be held on December 5. The three co-hosts \u2014 the United States, Canada, and Mexico \u2014 will be joined by the nine highest-ranked direct qualifiers in the top-seed pot, ensuring Germany\u2019s likely inclusion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n