July 13, 2023: The latest FIFA world rankings are out! Surprises and shuffles as football powers rise and fall. Who all are at the Top?Here's all you need to know!
Following their victory over Lebanon in the SAFF Championship (South Asian Football Federation Championship), India now has a chance to ascend one position in the next rankings. India had previously also emerged victorious against Lebanon in the Intercontinental Cup.
FIFA, which stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association, is the international governing body for the sport of football (soccer).
Founded in 1904, FIFA is responsible for organising and overseeing various international football tournaments and competitions. FIFA is best known for organising the FIFA World Cup, the most prestigious international football tournament held every four years. National teams from around the world compete in the World Cup to win the championship title.
Meanwhile, Argentina continues to be the top-ranked team in the FIFA World Rankings. They regained the top spot nearly three months ago and have maintained their position with friendly victories over Australia and Indonesia.
The top three teams in the rankings, Argentina, France, and Brazil, remain unchanged, with the current world champions leading the pack.
There have been some changes in the FIFA World Rankings below the top three teams. England and Belgium have switched positions, with Belgium moving up and England moving down. Similarly, Croatia has climbed one spot to 6th place, while the Netherlands has dropped one spot to 7th place.
The United States, who recently won the CONCACAF Nations League (The Confederation of North, Central, and Caribbean Association Football), have made significant progress and are now ranked 11th. They are closing in on the Top 10 teams in the world. Spain, who won the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Nations League, managed to hold on to their 10th position in the rankings.
Some notable changes in the rankings include Wales dropping to 35th place, Côte d'Ivoire falling to 51st place, and Ukraine and Scotland climbing to 24th and 30th place, respectively. Armenia also moved up to 90th place. Slovakia, Greece, and Mali rejoined the top 50, while Mauritania and India returned to the top 100.
The biggest climb came from Kazakhstan, which reached 104th place. Other notable climbers were from Togo, Tanzania, and Moldova. Moldova's surprising victory over Poland, despite a significant ranking difference, contributed to their significant gain in points.