FIFA Top 100 and the World Cup aspirations

The 2026 World Cup qualifiers have just concluded, determining the 48 teams that will participate in North America this summer, including four teams making their debut: Curacao (Caribbean), Jordan, Uzbekistan (Asia), and Cape Verde (Africa).

The expansion of the FIFA World Cup 2026 to 48 teams clearly creates more opportunities for many footballing nations that have been excluded for decades. However, that opportunity does not mean an "open door" for everyone.

The reality from the qualifying rounds shows that the majority of World Cup spots still go to teams in the top 70 of FIFA rankings. This is particularly concerning for Vietnamese football. Historically, the highest ranking achieved by the Vietnamese national football team has only been 94th in the world , under coach Park Hang-seo. Therefore, the gap to the teams that regularly participate in the World Cup remains quite large.

Nevertheless, the way these "newcomers" are emerging at the 2026 World Cup is a worthwhile direction for Vietnamese football to consider. Cape Verde, Jordan, and Curacao have all had lower FIFA rankings than Vietnam at various times. But the difference lies in the fact that their ranking progress has been stable and consistent, without sudden declines. For example, Jordanian football, at the time they were eliminated by Vietnam in the round of 16 of the 2019 Asian Cup, was ranked 97th. But today, Jordan has risen to 63rd in the world, while Vietnam has consistently fallen out of the top 100 since 2019.

With a perfect record of 6 wins in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, an unprecedented achievement in history, the Vietnamese national team has returned to the top 100 of the FIFA rankings (ranked 99th) after nearly two years of absence. This is the result of an impressive run of form under coach Kim Sang-sik, with 13 consecutive wins in all competitions, affirming the stability and depth of the current squad.

Returning to the FIFA top 100 is a positive sign, but more time is needed to verify its sustainability. History has shown a harsh reality: the peak periods of Vietnamese football usually only last about 3-4 years. From the time of their first Southeast Asian championship (in 2008) to the period from 2018-2022 under coach Park Hang-seo, peaks were quickly followed by declines, requiring restructuring and a long wait for a new cycle. This is not a problem of one generation of players or one coach, but a consequence of a football ecosystem that is not yet sufficiently sustainable. When the foundation is not strong enough, all successes are cyclical, rather than stable.

That's also why the current positive signs need to be viewed with a clear mind. Winning many matches, improving rankings, or building relative stability can easily create a feeling of "good enough." But in reality, the gap between Vietnam and the group of Asian teams that regularly participate in the World Cup is still significant. The biggest challenge is not continuing to dominate Southeast Asia, but stepping out of the familiar "comfort zone." When regional rivals no longer exert enough pressure, the risk of complacency and stagnation is entirely possible.

Therefore, the goal for Vietnamese football should not stop at the FIFA top 100. More specific milestones – such as the top 90, top 80, or even further, the top 70 – truly reflect the team's competitiveness at the continental level. These are not just numbers, but a direct measure of the ability to get closer to the World Cup.

To achieve that, a systemic approach is needed. It's not just about tactics or personnel in the national team, but a holistic solution encompassing the quality of the V.League 1, youth development, and mechanisms for sending players to international competitions. Most importantly, it requires a shift in mindset: accepting greater challenges, including manageable failures, to build genuine capabilities.

The 48-team World Cup opens up more opportunities, but it doesn't shorten the path. If we only stop at achieving "good enough" results within the region, Vietnamese football will struggle to close the gap with the rest of Asia. To go further, what's needed isn't hoping for an opening, but rather raising our own level to be strong enough to step through that door.

DANG LINH

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/top-100-fifa-va-khat-vong-world-cup-post846237.html