India Women’s Football Team Rises to 63rd in FIFA Rankings

The Indian women's football team rose seven places to 63rd in the latest FIFA rankings after a vital victory over Thailand that secured their spot in the AFC Women's Asian Cup. This comes as a development for the Blue Tigresses, who have worked very hard over the past few months and made a name for themselves.

How did Indian Women's National Football Team's Rank improve?

The performance marks the highest ranking for the Blue Tigresses in nearly two years, as they were last ranked 61st on August 21, 2023. India secured their qualification with a sharp 2-1 victory over hosts Thailand in Chiang Mai during their final group match. Midfielder Sangita Basfore delivered a strong performance, scoring twice in what was effectively a playoff match between two unbeaten teams. Thailand managed to pull one back through Chatchawan Rodhong, but it wasn't enough, as the Blue Tigresses held on to secure their spot in next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup.

The Indian women's football team began the qualifying campaign with a 13-0 victory against Mongolia, followed by wins over Timor Leste and Iraq with scores of 4-0 and 5-0, respectively. After qualifying, India was drawn into a challenging Group C for the 21st edition of the AFC Women's Asian Cup, which will be held in Australia from March 1 to 21, 2026. They will face Japan (world No. 7), Vietnam (No. 37), and Chinese Taipei (No. 42). Currently, India is ranked 63rd, making them the lowest-ranked team in the group. The tournament will feature 12 teams divided into three groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarterfinals. Australia, China, South Korea, and Japan qualified directly, while eight other teams, including India, made it through the qualifiers. This marks India's first qualification for the main draw of the AFC Women's Asian Cup since 2003.

Although the Blue Tigresses competed in 2022 as hosts, they were forced to withdraw due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the squad. Historically, their best performances in the tournament occurred in the early 1980s, when they finished as runners-up in 1980 and 1983 and secured third place in 1981. The 2026 edition will take place across Sydney, Perth, and the Gold Coast and serves as a potential launchpad for World Cup qualification, as the tournament acts as a gateway to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.