SL 196 in FIFA Rankings after emphatic win over Taipei

 The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung (left) was a special invitee for the match between Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei

By Susil Premalal

Sri Lanka stands tall as the only South Asian nation to secure a victory in this international window, defeating Chinese Taipei 3-1 in their AFC Asian Qualifiers (2027 Saudi Arabia) Group ‘D’ encounter played at the Racecourse Grounds in Colombo.  

In contrast, regional counterparts - India, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh - all suffered defeats during this period.

Sri Lanka’s success is no coincidence. It’s the result of a well-planned, strategic transformation of the national football setup.

Over the past 11 months, Sri Lanka has made a remarkable leap in the FIFA Rankings, climbing from 207 to 196.
President Jaswar Umar’s decision to professionalise the national team has been pivotal.

By introducing a new professional coach, assembling a squad of fully committed professional players and establishing structured, high-performance training camps, Sri Lanka has laid the foundation for sustainable success on the international stage.