Overview

• India’s FIFA ranking dropped six places to 133rd with 1113.22 points, marking its lowest position since December 2016.
• Consecutive June losses to Thailand (0-2) in a friendly and to lower-ranked Hong Kong (0-1) in Asian Cup qualifying triggered the slide.
• Head coach Manolo Marquez departed by mutual agreement after securing only one win in his last eight matches.
• The team now sits 24th among Asia’s 46 nations with Japan leading regionally at 17th, complicating its path to the 2027 Asian Cup.
• The AIFF is drafting a coaching job profile and will soon invite applications ahead of an October away qualifier in Singapore.