Hanoi, March 23 -- Vietnam's national football team have climbed five places to 103rd in the latest FIFA rankings, moving closer to a return to the world's top 100.

According to the Vietnam Football Federation, the improvement comes after points were restored following developments in Group F of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualification.

The Asian Football Confederation ruled that Malaysia forfeited two matches - against Nepal and Vietnam - with 0-3 scorelines due to player eligibility violations. As a result, Vietnam regained 13.91 points, bringing their total to 1,213.62 points.

Meanwhile, Malaysia national football team were heavily penalised, losing around 50 ranking points and dropping 14 places to 135th globally. The decision also saw...