Waiting for the CAS ruling, Vietnam is poised to re-enter the top 100 worldwide

The Vietnam national team has an opportunity for a major breakthrough in the FIFA rankings following the latest changes that could yield an extra 38 points, renewing the hope of climbing back into the world’s top 100.

Vietnam national team is on the verge of a substantial jump in the FIFA rankings this coming March, with a potential total gain of up to 38 points—enough for coach Kim Sang-sik’s squad to approach or even rejoin the group of the world’s top 100 teams.

The biggest turning point hinges on an upcoming decision by CAS regarding the appeal filed by the Football Association of Malaysia. If CAS rejects the appeal, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) may award 0-3 forfeits against Malaysia for matches where they fielded ineligible naturalized players in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, including the match against Vietnam.

Previously, a 0-4 away loss in June 2025 caused Vietnam to lose 14 FIFA points. If awarded a 3-0 win, the “Golden Star Warriors” would not only recover the 14 points lost but also gain an additional 10.5 to 11 points based on FIFA’s point calculation system. This means a total increase of 24 to 25 points, raising Vietnam’s total to around 1,214 points and moving them up to 103rd in the world rankings.

March also presents two more opportunities to accumulate points. Vietnam will play a friendly against Bangladesh before rematching Malaysia in the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers on March 31st. Calculations show that a victory over Bangladesh could add between 2.7 and 3 points. If Vietnam then defeats Malaysia at home, the team could earn an additional 8 to 10 points.

In total, Vietnam could gain an extra 11 to 13 points from these two matches. Combined with the potential 25 points from a 3-0 awarded victory, the maximum point increase in March could reach 38 points.

Currently, Tajikistan holds the 100th spot worldwide with 1,224.93 points. The gap between Vietnam and the top 100 threshold is therefore not very large. By capitalizing on opportunities both on the field and through legal rulings, coach Kim Sang-sik’s team can make a significant leap in the FIFA rankings in a short time.