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The Indian women's football team is all set to play against Maldives in two FIFA international friendly in Bengaluru on December 30 and January 2, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed on Friday, December 20. The two matches will be held at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru. The Blue Tigresses last competed in an international match at the SAFF Women's Championships in October, where the team lost to Nepal 2-4.
In 2024, the Indian team played 10 matches, winning only three, losing four, and drawing three. They lost against Uzbekistan and Myanmar. The squad advanced to the Turkish Women's Cup 2024 final in February but lost to a lower-ranked team, Kosovo. This has caused a drop in their rankings from 68 to 69, and the Blue Tigresses would want to finish 2024 and kickstart 2025 on a high note by winning the two friendlies against Maldives.
Indian women's football team drop to 69th position in FIFA ranking
In the August rankings, India was ranked 68th globally and 12th in Asia. The Blue Tigresses' place in the year-end standings slipped further, with only 0.02 points added to their total. However, as the team lost four matches out of ten matches, it currently ranks 69th in the FIFA rankings.
Japan remains the highest-ranked team in Asia, while the United States national team maintains its position at the top of the FIFA rankings. While Estonia climbed the most in this round of rankings, moving up eight ranks, Laos dropped the most, sliding 16 places.
For a squad that was once ranked among the top 50 in December 2013, this downfall in the ranking represents a precipitous decline. However, the squad has won the South Asian Women's Championship five times, cementing its position as a dominant power in regional football.
