Vietnam's National Team unexpectedly drops in FIFA rankings just before facing Nepal

Although they have not played, Vietnam’s National Team unexpectedly slipped to 115th position in the FIFA rankings.

The October FIFA Days are actively underway with numerous international matches worldwide, causing notable changes in the FIFA rankings. Even without playing a match, Vietnam’s team unexpectedly dropped one spot to 115th in the FIFA rankings, holding 1169.92 points.

This drop is due to Niger’s impressive 3-1 win over Congo in the African World Cup qualifiers, which earned them 11.53 points and allowed them to surpass Vietnam in the FIFA rankings.

This development is seen as a disadvantage for coach Kim Sang Sik’s squad, especially as they prepare for two crucial matches against Nepal on October 9th and 14th, part of the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. These matches are an opportunity for Vietnam to aim for positive results and improve their FIFA ranking before the current training camp ends.

According to calculations from Football Ranking, if Vietnam wins both matches against Nepal, the "Golden Star Warriors" could gain approximately 13.96 points, likely regaining their lost position and possibly improving further. Since Nepal currently ranks 176th, 61 places below Vietnam, experts believe Kim Sang Sik’s team is fully capable of securing all 6 points by maintaining consistent performance.

However, the opposite results would severely impact Vietnam’s points. Specifically, a draw with Nepal would cost them 5.52 points, while a loss would deduct as much as 18.02 points — a figure that could cause Vietnam to fall even further in the rankings.

Therefore, the upcoming two matches are not only critical for securing a place in the 2027 Asian Cup finals but also serve as a chance for Vietnam to assert their regional standing and rebuild their FIFA ranking points. A positive outcome would give coach Kim Sang Sik’s team momentum for the remainder of 2025.