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What's the story?
FIFA's next set of national team rankings is set to be published later this month and India could be making a return to the FIFA top 100 if the simulation-based prediction of the ever-reliable Eduard Ranghiuc, the Romanian FIFA rankings consultant, is to be believed.
India's highest possible ranking in the October's list is 100, while the Blue Tigers' lowest possible ranking in October is 114. In both cases, India will make a maximum seven-point movement in the rankings ladder from the current ranking.
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India dropped out of the FIFA top 100 in September when they slumped to a six-month low of 107. Despite having played three matches in the period considered for September's rankings that included two wins and one draw, India dropped from their 97th place August ranking.
The heart of the matter
Ranghiuc is a prominent rankings predictor and his mathematical models have always been on point as far as rankings are concerned, a few deviations aside. Last month also, he predicted India's average ranking to be 107 which is what the Blue Tigers currently occupy.
India's average October ranking is 103.683, which could well mean that Stephen Constantine's team will be ranked higher than their 107th standing in September. India will play an AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifier against Macau on 11th October which will also have a bearing on the team's October ranking.
October rankings are also pivotal for many national teams since December's World Cup 2018 draw will be based on this month's rankings. Brazil, Germany and Portugal are expected to head the rankings ladder in October.
What's next?
October's rankings will be published on the 16th of the month and India will be expected to rise a few notches. Of the 104 matches set to determine this month's rankings, India will feature in just a single match.
Author's take
Although a rise in the rankings ladder is not a stamp of quality - teams like Poland and Switzerland are in the top 10 and hence, will get easy World Cup 2018 draws - India's rise in 2017 has seen them on the brink of qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The next stop for Constantine's men is the Macau game.
