Vietnam closes in on top 100 of FIFA world ranking after awarded win against Malaysia

Malaysia's ineligible naturalized player Joao Figueireido (C) attempts to dribble past two Vietnamese players during an Asian Cup qualifying match at Bukit Jalil Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, on June 10, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Hai Tu

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) handed Malaysia two 0-3 forfeit defeats for their 2027 Asian Cup qualifying matches against Nepal on March 25 and Vietnam on June 10, 2025 due to Malaysia's use of naturalized players with falsified eligibility documents.

Malaysia had initially won those matches 2-0 and 4-0 against Nepal and Vietnam, but the AFC's ruling to overturn those results will now trigger a shift in the upcoming FIFA ranking.

Following the initial 0-4 loss to Malaysia, Vietnam had 13.91 FIFA ranking points deducted during the July 2025 ranking cycle. Now, with the win awarded in their favor, coach Kim Sang-sik's team will fully recover those lost 13.91 points and gain an additional 11.08 points for the victory.

Vietnam will earn a total of 24.99 points, raising their overall FIFA ranking score to 1,214.50 and moving the team up five places to 103rd, right above Kyrgyzstan.

Vietnam is now only 10.43 points away from returning to the top 100. The team will have a great opportunity to do that if they secure victories in their next two scheduled matches: a friendly against Bangladesh on March 26 and the clash with Malaysia in the Asian Cup qualifiers on March 31.

Malaysia will have about 50 FIFA points deducted as a result of their overturned matches against Nepal and Vietnam, dropping them 15 places down to 136th in the rankings.

This is not the first time Malaysia has faced such a penalty. FIFA previously deducted points from Malaysia's ranking after the team was handed 0-3 forfeit defeats in three friendly matches last year, which also came from the use of ineligible players. That previous sanction caused Malaysia to drop five places to 121st.

The official FIFA ranking is currently calculated using a customized Elo rating system, which automatically adds or subtracts points directly after every match. Each team enters a fixture with a pre-existing point total, which is then adjusted based on the match result, the importance of the competition, and the strength of the two teams. Securing a victory against a higher-ranked opponent earns more points, while suffering a defeat against a weaker team results in a significant point deduction.

The next FIFA ranking update will be available on April 1, 2026, following the conclusion of the international match window at the end of March.

The AFC ruling means that head coach Kim Sang-sik has extended his winning streak with the Vietnam national team to 11 consecutive matches. This impressive run dates back to a dominant 5-0 victory over Myanmar in the final group stage match of the 2024 ASEAN Cup.

The team's most recent opponent to successfully avoid defeat was the Philippines, who managed a 1-1 draw earlier in that same ASEAN Cup group stage.

Across his total of 19 matches leading the national team, the South Korean coach now boasts a stellar official record of 14 wins, two draws, and just three losses.