Surpassing Thailand, Malaysia becomes the Southeast Asian team with the biggest improvement in 2025

Malaysia ended 2025 with a significant leap forward, becoming the Southeast Asian team with the strongest rise in FIFA rankings, overtaking Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

The Malaysian national team closed 2025 with a historic milestone, rising to lead the Southeast Asian region in the greatest FIFA ranking improvement throughout the year. Under the leadership of coach Peter Cklamovski, Malaysia demonstrated outstanding progress, not only in match results but also in team spirit and tactics.

Malaysia’s 2025 campaign was completed with a 1-0 victory over Nepal in the fifth match of Group F, 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. This win secured their top spot in the group with five wins from five matches, three points ahead of second-placed Vietnam, confirming their stability and superior strength compared to regional rivals.

Thanks to this achievement, Malaysia currently ranks 116th in the world with 1168.41 points, climbing 16 places from the end of 2024 (1116 points). This is the most impressive rise in Southeast Asia, far exceeding Thailand, which only moved up 2 spots from 97 to 95, and Indonesia, which climbed 5 places to 122nd. The Philippines also recorded a notable advance, rising 14 places from 150 to 136, becoming the second biggest improver in the region.

Malaysia’s success is not just the result of victories on the pitch, but also a testament to effective training, tactics, and team management. Coach Peter Cklamovski has helped players maintain consistent form while fostering team spirit, turning Malaysia into a formidable squad in the region.

The team’s next goal is the final qualifying match against Vietnam on March 25, 2026. This will be the last test in the qualifying campaign and an opportunity for Malaysia to consolidate its position in Southeast Asia while aiming for bigger targets at the 2027 Asian Cup.

With remarkable progress in 2025, Malaysia has proven it is not only a strong team regionally but is also steadily establishing its status on the Asian football map.

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