Hanoi, 21 July 2026 – Vietnam have received a timely confidence boost ahead of their ASEAN Cup 2026 title defense after maintaining their place inside the world’s top 100 in the latest FIFA rankings. Meanwhile, newly crowned world champions Spain have climbed to the top of the global standings.
FIFA has released its latest men’s national team rankings for July 2026, with Vietnam remaining 99th in the world. The result provides another positive sign for head coach Kim Sang-sik and his players as they prepare to begin their campaign to defend the Southeast Asian championship.
Vietnam recently earned an additional 1.52 ranking points following their convincing 4-0 victory over Myanmar in an international friendly. The Golden Star Warriors now have 1,227.20 points, placing them second among Southeast Asian national teams.
Thailand remain the highest-ranked team in the region, sitting 94th in the world with 1,250.80 points. The relatively small gap between the two Southeast Asian rivals provides further motivation for Vietnam to continue improving their ranking through positive results in their upcoming international matches.
Remaining inside the FIFA top 100 not only reflects Vietnam’s stability on the international stage but could also prove important when seedings are determined for future FIFA and AFC competitions.
At the top of the global rankings, Spain have risen to world No. 1 after winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their successful World Cup campaign earned them an additional 121.17 points, taking their overall total to 1,995.88.
Meanwhile, Argentina have dropped to second place after finishing as runners-up at the 2026 World Cup, while France occupy third position. England have climbed to fourth following their World Cup campaign.
Completing the latest FIFA top 10 are Brazil in fifth, Morocco in sixth, Portugal in seventh, Belgium in eighth, the Netherlands in ninth, and Mexico in 10th.
For Vietnam, retaining 99th place represents an encouraging development ahead of the ASEAN Cup 2026. With more international fixtures on the horizon, Kim Sang-sik’s side will have further opportunities to collect ranking points and potentially close the gap on Thailand as they seek to strengthen their position both in Southeast Asia and on the global stage.
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