The Indian women’s football team continues to struggle in the FIFA rankings, retaining its 69th position following two disappointing defeats against Russia during the latest international window. The Blue Tigresses remain just one spot above their lowest-ever ranking of 70th despite winning the SAFF Women’s Championship earlier this year.
India’s performances in 2026 have produced mixed results, with the team failing to make significant progress on the international stage. Although the side participated in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in March, its overall results have prevented any meaningful improvement in the rankings.
The latest setback came in Kolkata, where India faced 27th-ranked Russia in two international friendlies. The visitors dominated both matches, scoring a combined 12 goals without conceding.
Those defeats proved costly for India, resulting in a deduction of 5.07 Elo points. However, the team managed to hold on to its 69th position in the updated FIFA standings.
India’s biggest achievement this year came at the SAFF Women’s Championship, where it defeated defending champion Bangladesh in the final to lift the trophy.
Despite securing the regional title, the Blue Tigresses received little benefit in the rankings because their opponents were also positioned relatively low in the global standings.
One of India’s most encouraging performances came in July 2025, when it defeated higher-ranked Thailand 2-1 in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
That important victory secured qualification for the continental tournament and helped India jump seven places from 70th to 63rd, marking its biggest-ever rise in the FIFA rankings.
However, the team has struggled to maintain that momentum.
Across 11 matches played in 2026, India suffered six defeats while registering five victories. All five wins came against teams ranked below India, limiting the opportunity to gain valuable ranking points.
Meanwhile, Malawi emerged as one of the biggest success stories in the latest rankings update.
The African nation, previously ranked 153rd, recorded convincing 2-0 and 7-0 victories over 127th-ranked Zimbabwe during the international window.
Those performances earned Malawi more than 36 ranking points and helped it climb an impressive 49 places to 104th, the largest upward movement by any team in the latest rankings.
For India, the contrasting fortunes highlight the importance of securing positive results against stronger opposition.
With the Blue Tigresses still hovering near their lowest-ever position, improving consistency and delivering better performances against higher-ranked teams will be crucial to rebuilding their standing in international women’s football.
