Vietnam climb in FIFA ranking

Vietnam have climbed one place in the latest FIFA football rankings announced Thursday to 99th. Though they lost two points since December 2018, they benefited from the lackluster performances by Palestine and India at the 2019 Asian Cup. In the recent Asian Cup Vietnam lost to Iraq and Iran and won against Yemen in their group and against Jordan in the last 16 before losing to Japan in the quarterfinals.

In Asia they rank 16th, just enough to get into the second seeding pot for the second elimination round for the 2022 World Cup, which will have 40 teams. The grouping draw is expected to be held in summer this year, while the second elimination round will begin in September. The last time Vietnam broke into the top 100 FIFA rankings was in June 2011, where the team was placed 99th. They climbed back in last November.