A 2-0 victory over Malaysia in the second leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semifinals allowed the Vietnam national team to surpass China in the football Elo rankings for the first time.
Three consecutive wins in the ASEAN Cup 2026 group stage have propelled Thailand to 91st in the FIFA rankings, surpassing China for the first time in 22 years.
China has opted to host a five-team friendly tournament on home soil during the September and October FIFA international windows, rather than joining the expanded Southeast Asian championship organized by FIFA.
