Vietnam claimed the biggest rise in FIFA's December 22 men's world rankings, jumping three spots to a 2025-high 107th globally (19th in Asia) after defeating Laos, while Malaysia fell to 121st over ineligible players. As Spain holds No. 1 in this final 2025 update (overview in series), the changes spotlight Asian preparations for major tournaments.
In Asia, Japan leads at 18th worldwide, followed by Iran (20th) and South Korea (22nd). Vietnam's national team earned 1,189.51 points from their 2-0 win over Laos on November 19 in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, overtaking Niger, Lebanon, and Comoros to become the month's top riser—second in Southeast Asia behind Thailand.
Singapore also rose three places to 148th, their best in nearly 14 years and sixth in SEA. Conversely, Malaysia tumbled five spots to 121st after FIFA voided three friendlies as losses due to ineligible naturalized players. Southeast Asian rankings: Thailand (96th), Vietnam (107th), Malaysia (121st), Indonesia (122nd), Philippines (136th).
Among 2026 World Cup hosts, the US is 14th, Mexico 15th, Canada 27th. These standings affect seedings for events like the World Cup and Asian Cup. Vietnam's all-time high was 84th in 1998; they face Malaysia next on March 31, 2026. The next FIFA update is January 18, 2026.
