Promise shown, Sri Lanka eyes FIFA football shoot-up 

By Susil Premalal

With the aim of improving its position in the FIFA World Rankings, the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) has announced plans to field the Sri Lanka team in up to seven international matches before December 31, 2025.

According to the FIFA World Rankings released on July 10, 2025, Sri Lanka is currently ranked 196th out of 210 nations, having moved up 11 places from its 2023 position of 207. 

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, FFSL President Jaswar Umar expressed  confidence that with positive results or even consistent performances in the upcoming matches, Sri Lanka could climb further to 194th place by the end of the year.

As part of this strategy, Sri Lanka will compete in the inaugural South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Super Cup, a four-nation invitational tournament scheduled to be held in Colombo from September 1–9. Invitations have been extended to Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan and the first three countries to confirm participation will join Sri Lanka in the contest.

The FFSL views these matches as crucial opportunities to provide the Sri Lanka team with international exposure while strengthening its competitive edge and improving its global standing.