Iran maintains 42nd place in latest FIFA rankings

The national Iranian men’s soccer team has stayed put in the latest edition of the FIFA rankings, nestling in the world’s 42nd spot and upholding its position as the highest-ranked squad in Asia.

According to the latest monthly rankings released by the world’s soccer governing body on May 3, the Iranian side racked up 672 points and stood above other Asian teams.

South Korea moved up two spots to the 54th slot with 591 points.

Taegeuk Warriors, as the South Korean national team is called, are followed by Samurai Blues, Japan, and al-Suqours, Saudi Arabia, who maintained the 57th and 60th spots respectively with 577 and 559 points.

Argentina remains the top-ranked soccer team in the world with 1,532 points.

Belgium notched 1,364 points to win the second position, while third-place Chile gained 1,353 points. Colombia also kept its place and stood fourth with 1,337 points.

On March 30, the national Iranian football team defeated Oman 2-0 in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium to advance to the final stage of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

Iran has been drawn in Group A of the third round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification tournament, which is scheduled to start early September.

During the draw ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on April 12, the Islamic Republic of Iran landed in Group A of the qualifiers, and was pitted against South Korea, Uzbekistan, China, Qatar and Syria.

The winner and runner-up of each group, four teams in total, will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, while the third-placed teams of each group, two teams in total, will head to the play-off round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The winner of the Asian play-off round will then face twice the fourth-placed squad in the fifth round of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) qualifying games.

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