Doha: Qatar's national team, Al-Annabi, has held its ground in the FIFA World Rankings, maintaining its 53rd position globally and fifth in both Asia and the Arab world with 1453.65 points. The team is currently preparing for the crucial fourth round of World Cup qualifying, the Continental Playoff, where they will face Oman on October 8th and the UAE on October 14th in Doha. Their journey to this stage was secured by a fourth-place finish in their third-round group, earning 13 points from ten matches, behind group winner Iran (23 points) and Uzbekistan (21 points).

The broader international landscape, however, experienced a major shift in the August rankings. Spain ascended to the top of the global table for the first time in a decade, claiming first place with 1875.37 points. This move pushed Argentina, dethroned for the first time since April 2023, down to third with 1870.32 points, just behind France in second with 1870.92. The rest of the top ten saw England (4th), Portugal (5th), and Brazil (6th), followed by the Netherlands, Belgium, Croatia, and Italy. Notably, Germany tumbled out of the top ten entirely, falling to 12th.

In Asian-specific rankings, Japan remains the continent's frontrunner in 19th place globally, followed by Iran (21st), South Korea (23rd), and Australia (25th). To tune up for their vital playoff matches, Al-Annabi played a series of friendlies in August, resulting in a 2-2 draw with Bahrain and a 4-1 loss to Russia, as they continue their final preparations for the challenge ahead.