HOT: FIFA brings great news, Vietnam national team is about to return to top 1 in Southeast Asia

The repeated loss of points by Thailand in the FIFA standings will allow Vietnam to close the distance with its opponent.

The Vietnam national team is facing a major chance to reduce the gap with Thailand in the FIFA rankings after the latest fluctuations during the June FIFA Days period. While the "War Elephants" failed to use their home advantage to defeat Kuwait, Vietnam maintained a stable position despite not playing any official international friendlies.

In the match played on the evening of June 5, Thailand was held to a 2-2 draw by Kuwait. This result cost Thailand 1.37 FIFA points because their opponent had a much lower ranking. After the draw, Thailand remains 94th in the world, but their total points dropped to 1,250.76. This is not a positive sign for coach Masatada Ishii's squad as they aim to maintain their distance from chasing teams in the region.

Meanwhile, Vietnam currently ranks 99th in the world with 1,225.68 points. The gap between Vietnam and Thailand is now just over 25 points. This margin has significantly narrowed compared to a few years ago when the "War Elephants" always had a comfortable lead over Southeast Asian rivals.

Another notable development comes from Indonesia. Their 3-0 victory over Oman earned them 6.56 FIFA points and moved them up four places to 118th in the world. This is a historic win, as Indonesia defeated Oman for the first time in 38 years. However, the gap between Indonesia and the top of Southeast Asia remains wide, as Vietnam and Thailand are still the two highest-ranked teams in the region.

It is worth noting that Thailand still has a friendly match against China in the near future. If they suffer an unfavorable result against a higher-ranked opponent, the "War Elephants" are likely to lose more points on the FIFA rankings. In that case, their lead over Vietnam would shrink further, creating an exciting competition for the top spot in Southeast Asia.

As for Vietnam, the most important goal is the 2026 AFF Cup. If coach Kim Sang-sik and his team perform well and defend their regional championship, they will have a chance to accumulate a significant number of FIFA points. With Thailand consistently dropping points in friendlies, the door for Vietnam to surpass their longtime rival and return to the top of Southeast Asia in the FIFA rankings is now brighter than ever.