ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s decline in international football rankings continued as the national side slipped three more places in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, intensifying concerns over the sport’s deteriorating state in the country.
Following their defeat to Myanmar in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, Pakistan are now placed 203rd among 211 nations, a position that reflects their ongoing struggles at the international level.
The latest drop brings Pakistan perilously close to their worst-ever ranking of 205, recorded in 2019 after successive losses to Cambodia during a period marred by administrative instability and adhocism. Despite repeated claims of reforms and structural improvements since then, the team’s performances indicate little tangible progress.
The March 31 defeat to Myanmar not only impacted team morale but also contributed directly to the rankings fall, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of the current administration’s much-touted corrective measures. Nearly 11 months after the transition from an ad hoc setup to a democratically elected structure, Pakistan football appears to have made no gains.
More concerning is Pakistan’s standing relative to smaller footballing nations. Teams such as Bhutan (186), Nepal (176), Maldives (172), and Myanmar (158) continue to rank significantly higher, highlighting the growing gap within the region.
With inconsistent domestic development, limited international exposure, and lingering management concerns, Pakistan’s football future remains uncertain. The latest rankings serve as a stark reminder that without meaningful and sustained reforms, the country risks slipping even further down the global football ladder.
France (1st, up 2) now lead the way. Two wins in their most recent friendlies have seen Les Bleus surge back to the summit for the first time since September 2018. They have leapfrogged Spain (2nd, down 1) and World champions Argentina (3rd, down 1) in the process, with virtually nothing to choose between the three. The reigning European champions’ push to preserve the pole position they had occupied since September 2025 was hampered by a stalemate with Egypt (29th, up 2) on Tuesday, 31 March.
Other notable movers include Portugal (5th, up 1), who have swapped places with Brazil (6th, down 1) after taking a win and a draw from their recent friendlies and capitalising on a slip-up from the Seleção against France. The remainder of the top 10 is unchanged.
Elsewhere, Türkiye (22nd, up 3), Côte d’Ivoire (34th, up 3), Sweden (38th, up 4) and Tunisia (44th, up 3) are the biggest climbers in the top 50. Bosnia and Herzegovina (65th, up 6) have double cause for celebration, having shot up the standings after joining fellow European play-off winners Sweden, Türkiye and Czechia (41st, up 2) in booking their ticket for this year’s World Cup.
Vietnam (99th, up 9), Nepal (176th, up 6)and Bhutan (186th, up 6), join the Dragons in climbing more than five places, although all four remain far outside the top 50. Eritrea (184th) provide another standout story, returning to the ranking for the first time in almost three years.
With the curtain now having been drawn on qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026, it is noteworthy that only three of the top 30-ranked teams will be sitting out the spectacle on the global stage: Italy (12th, up 1), Denmark (20th, up 1) and Nigeria (26th, unchanged). No fewer than 37 of the 48 teams set to strut their stuff at the showpiece feature among the top 50.
For their part, Kosovo (78th, up 1), who missed out on World Cup qualification at the hands of Türkiye in one of the European play-off finals, have reached their highest-ever position in the men’s pecking order.
