Palestine achieve highest ever FIFA ranking (again)

The February 2018 FIFA Ranking was released by football’s governing body earlier today and Palestine have set a new milestone.

After equaling their best ever ranking of 84th in October of 2017, Palestine have gone on to set new records in every following month since.

They rose to 82nd in November, 80th in December, and 75th in the first month on 2018.

February’s ranking sees Al-Fida’i climb to 73rd globally but slide one position, to 8th place, continentally.

Palestine are ranked above 14 following former World Cup Participants including: South Africa (1998, 2002), El Salvador (1982), Togo (2006), UAE (1990), Trinidad & Tobago (2006), Iraq (1986), Canada (1986), Haiti (1974), Israel (1970), Korea DPR (1966, 2010), New Zealand (1982, 2010), Angola (2006), Indonesia (1938), and Kuwait (1982)

FIFA’s next ranking will be released before Palestine takes the field again in an official match (March 15th). The AFC has announced that it will use FIFA’s April Ranking in order to seed teams for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup Draw.

As things stand, Palestine will be placed in Pot 2 alongside Uzbekistan, Syria, China PR, Lebanon, and Iraq.

Palestine would need to overtake Uzbekistan, China, and Saudi Arabia in order to be seeded in Pot 1 which would require a win in their final qualifying match against Oman on March 27th in addition to other results going their way.

FIFA Rankings and Asian Cup Pots are as follows

Blue: Pot 1
Green: Pot 2
Yellow: Pot 3
Red: Pot 4
*= Team has yet to qualify