Indian Football: FIFA rankings for November announced; men's team hikes up two spots

India has moved two spots forward in the November edition of FIFA world rankings. In the last update, India had moved up a spot and claimed the 106th position, in this newest edition of FIFA rankings the blue brigade is sitting at 104th spot. Their AFC ranking, however, still remains 19.

India's positive streak continues

The recent SAFF Championship win and World Cup qualifier matches have been the main reason behind the back-to-back ranking rise for the Indian team. October has been a busy month for the Sunil Chhetri brigade, their success in the SAFF campaign had already helped to move a spot up in the last FIFA ranking update of October.

India also had a decent World Cup qualifier campaign. The blue tigers have finished the campaign in third place right behind the host Qatar, with whom they had drawn 0-0 at their home. However, the World Cup qualifier matches by the other competing teams have worked as a catalyst for their two-spot rise in this newest FIFA ranking.

Meanwhile, the Indian Super League is knocking at the door and the fixture dates for the ISL till January have already been published, so it is going to be a long time before we see the men in blue back in action with the familiar blue jersey.

What is next for the blue brigade

The Indian team will be back on the pitch again next year. The team will be starting the third round of the AFC Asian Cup qualifier in February. Six matches for the cup qualifiers will be played till September. After Igor Stimach's first SAFF championship win, surely the coach and the blue tigers will be looking to qualify for the Asia cup and advance through the knockouts, unlike the last campaign. The Asia Cup is to be held in the summer of 2023, in mainland China.