South Korea drops to FIFA ranking No. 32 after World Cup group-stage exit

South Korea's FIFA ranking fell sharply after the national team was eliminated in the group stage at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup.

FIFA's July rankings, released Tuesday, placed South Korea at No. 32.

Korea entered the tournament ranked 25th but finished the group stage with one win and two losses, failing to advance to the round of 32. The team came from behind to beat the Czech Republic but then fell to Mexico and South Africa in consecutive matches, dealing a direct blow to its ranking points.

The seven-place drop pushed Korea outside the top 30 for the first time since December 2021, when it was ranked 33rd — a gap of four years and seven months.

Korea had consistently held a position in the top 20 and was widely regarded as the strongest side in Asia. The group-stage exit translated directly into a ranking slide, raising questions about the team's competitiveness on the world stage.

The top spot also changed hands.

Spain, which won the 2026 World Cup, reclaimed the No. 1 ranking after defeating Argentina in the final, returning to the top for the first time since January. Argentina dropped to second. France and England held steady at third and fourth, respectively, rounding out the world's elite.