Indian football is facing a concerning downturn, highlighted by the men's national team's elimination from contention for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and a slide to their lowest FIFA ranking in nine years. The Blue Tigers now stand at 136th in the world, a significant fall from their peak within the top 100 just over two years ago. This decline reflects a period of inconsistent performances, frequent changes in coaching leadership, and a general sense of instability surrounding the national team.
India's hopes for a third consecutive AFC Asian Cup appearance were dashed following a 1-2 defeat to Singapore in Goa on October 14, 2025. This result, coupled with earlier setbacks, leaves India with little chance of qualifying for the tournament in Saudi Arabia. Their journey in the qualifiers saw them draw 1-1 against Singapore in an away match, before the decisive home defeat. Lallianzuala Chhangte scored the opening goal for India in the 14th minute, but Singapore responded with two goals from Song Uiyoung, effectively ending India's qualification hopes.
The team's struggles extend beyond the Asian Cup qualifiers, as they have also been eliminated from contention for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their last competitive victory was in November 2023, a 1-0 win against Kuwait. Since then, the team has struggled to find consistency and has faced challenges in both attack and defense.
The recent slump in FIFA ranking to 136 is the lowest since November 2016, when India was ranked 137th. This is a stark contrast to the team's best-ever ranking of 94, achieved in February 1996. The current ranking places India below Kuwait and above Botswana.
Several factors have contributed to this decline. After a promising run in 2023, where India won the Intercontinental Cup, SAFF Championship, and Tri-Nation Series, the team's performance dipped considerably. At the 2024 Asian Cup in Qatar, India lost all three group-stage matches without scoring a single goal.
Adding to the team's woes, there have been multiple changes in leadership. Igor Štimac was replaced by Manolo Márquez, who later resigned, leading to the appointment of Khalid Jamil as head coach on August 1, 2025. While Jamil has shown tactical improvements during the CAFA Nations Cup friendly tournament, competitive results have remained unsatisfactory.
Looking ahead, the Indian team faces a challenging period. With no major international tournaments on the horizon until the next qualification cycle begins in 2027, there is a risk of the team becoming irrelevant on the Asian stage. It is crucial for the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to use this time to address the underlying issues, revamp the team's structure and vision, and promote younger, more motivated players. A complete reset is needed, including strategic leadership at the federation and a serious rethink about the national team's identity and future.
Globally, Spain holds the top spot in the FIFA rankings, followed by Argentina and France. The updated rankings will be used to determine the seedings for the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup draw on December 5.
