Qatar players acknowledge their fans after defeating Iran, in this June 5 file photo.
Doha: A strong performance in their recent FIFA World Cup 2026 AFC Qualifiers has propelled Qatar two places up the standings to 53rd, the latest FIFA Men's World Ranking revealed yesterday.
Al Annabi’s recent form showed mixed but ultimately positive results that raised their international standing.
Qatar secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against regional powerhouse Iran on June 5, which played a crucial role in their upward movement in the FIFA computer.
However, their qualifying campaign also saw a setback on June 10, when they were outplayed 3-0 by Uzbekistan. Despite this loss, the team's overall performance in the qualifying window was enough to see them climb up from their previous position, 55.
On a continental level, the latest ranking placed Qatar as the fifth-best in Asia, following Japan (17), Iran (20), South Korea (23) and Australia (24).
Qatar's next focus will be on the upcoming round of Asian qualifiers set for October 8, 11, and 14, where Al Annabi will compete against five other nations - Iraq, Oman, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - for a direct ticket to the global showpiece.
On the global stage, World champions Argentina continue to occupy the top spot in the rankings, while Spain, France, England, and Brazil maintained their stronghold in an unchanged top five.
However, the test of the positions in the top 10 saw significant changes, with Croatia climbing back into No.10, displacing Italy who fell to 11th. Portugal and the Netherlands also swapped places to occupy 6th and 7th places respectively, while Germany climbed to 9th, behind Belgium who remained at 8th.
Meanwhile, last week’s Concacaf Gold Cup winners Mexico moved up by four positions to 13th. Costa Rica emerged as the biggest climber of the ranking period, jumping 14 places up the ladder.
