India falls to 125 in FIFA rankings after defeat against Qatar

India's hopes for advancing in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers were dashed after a 1-2 defeat against Qatar on June 11, 2024, at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. This loss has caused India to drop to 125th in the FIFA rankings, falling 5.1 points from their previous total of 1144.5, now standing at 1139.4.

India led at half-time with a goal from Lallianzuala Chhangte in the 37th minute, but Qatar equalized through Youssef Ayman Farahat in the 73rd minute and secured the win with Ahmed Alrawi’s goal in the 85th minute.

This defeat relegated India to third place in Group A, ending their chances of advancing to Round 3 of the World Cup qualifiers. They will now focus on the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Third Round qualification.

The match saw India’s initial strong performance, with key contributions from players like Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Mehtab Singh. However, Qatar's comeback in the second half shifted the momentum, leading to India's eventual defeat.

The drop in FIFA rankings reflects the critical impact of this loss on India's international standing, underscoring the importance of consistent performance in crucial qualifiers.