What is Pakistan’s FIFA ranking right now? The short version: 197th in the world (October 2026) — climbing. This tracker gives the current rank, the month-by-month 2026 journey, the all-time high and low, and a plain-English explanation of how FIFA calculates the ranking. For the full story of the team, see our pillar guide to the Pakistan football team rank.
Quick answer: Pakistan’s FIFA ranking is 197th in the men’s world ranking released 7–8 October 2026 — up one place from 198th, and up six places from 203rd in April. All-time high: 141st (February 1994). All-time low: 205th (June 2019). FIFA updates the ranking roughly monthly.
In this guide:
Current Rank and Points
In the October 2026 FIFA men’s world ranking, Pakistan sits 197th of 211 teams, up one place from the previous update. The one-place gain reflects recent international results — small, but it extends a recovery that began in the spring. For context, the ranking’s summit is held by world champions Spain, with Argentina second and France third (FIFA, October 2026).
Pakistan’s FIFA code is PAK, and the team competes in the AFC (Asia) under the SAFF (South Asia) sub-confederation — where it currently ranks last of the seven nations, behind India (138th), Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.
The 2026 Journey
The year tells a clear story of a team turning a corner:
- January 2026 — 199th: the year opened near the bottom of the table.
- April 2026 — 203rd: a three-place drop after the 31 March defeat to Myanmar in AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying — perilously close to the all-time low of 205th.
- June 2026 — 199th: four places recovered as results improved.
- October 2026 — 197th: another place gained; six places up from the April trough.
The trajectory matters more than the number: for the first time in years, the arrow points consistently upward — under an elected PFF (president Mohsin Gilani, 2025) and head coach Nolberto Solano.
Highest and Lowest Rankings
Highest: 141st (February 1994). Pakistan’s peak came in the early 1990s, a rare window of federation stability and regular international football — proof of how high the Shaheens can climb when the system functions.
Lowest: 205th (June 2019). The nadir followed successive defeats to Cambodia during the PFF’s most chaotic period — factional warfare, court cases and a FIFA suspension that left the team barely playing. The 2019 low is the benchmark the current recovery is measured against: Pakistan is now eight places clear of it.
How the Ranking Is Calculated
Since August 2018 FIFA has used the SUM formula, an Elo-based system: after each match, a team’s new points = old points + importance × (actual result − expected result). The importance factor runs from 5 (friendlies) to 60 (World Cup semi-finals and final); qualifiers count 25. A win is 1, a draw 0.5, a loss 0 — measured against the Elo-expected outcome, so beating a stronger team earns far more than beating a weaker one.
What this means for Pakistan: ranking points come fastest from winning competitive matches against higher-ranked opposition — exactly what the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers and the SAFF Championship offer. Every international window is a scoring opportunity, which is why simply playing regularly has already lifted the Shaheens six places. Fans can follow the rivalry that matters most in our Pakistan vs India football guide — and the brighter story of the women’s team, ranked 154th.
FAQs
What is Pakistan’s current FIFA ranking?
197th in the FIFA men’s world ranking released 7–8 October 2026 — up one place, and up six places from 203rd in April 2026.
What is Pakistan’s highest FIFA ranking?
141st, achieved in February 1994 during a period of PFF stability and regular international fixtures.
What is Pakistan’s lowest FIFA ranking?
205th, in June 2019, after defeats to Cambodia amid federation turmoil and FIFA suspension.
When is the FIFA ranking updated?
Roughly once a month, after each international window. The next update after October 2026 is expected in November 2026.
Related Guides
- Pakistan Football Team Rank — the pillar guide: history, South Asia standings, the team today, why the rank is so low
- Pakistan vs India Football — the complete rivalry guide
- Pakistan Women’s Football Team — ranked 154th, and making history in the FIFA Series
- Pakistan Wins International Football Title — the trophy that showed what the team can do
