Filipinas now inside Top 50 in FIFA rankings

From being Southeast Asian champs, the Filipinas are now a Top 50 team in the world. PFF (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

ANTIPOLO—The Philippine women's football team has made another huge jump in the FIFA rankings as it now enjoys a new all-time high.

The Filipinas moved four places up to number 49 in the world, marking the first time ever that the Philippine women's football program has breached the Top 50.

The Filipinas also moved to ninth place among the Asian Football Confederation member nations, jumping two spots in Asia and also marking the first time the Philippines is a Top 10 Asian women's football team.

Factoring in the Filipinas' rise into the Top 50 in the world and Top 10 in Asia is the slide of Uzbekistan and North Korea.

Uzbekistan fell to number 50 in the world and number 10 in Asia, while North Korea, which in the previous ranking was number 10 in the world, has been taken out of the world rankings mainly due to inactivity.

There was no movement among the Top 9 teams in the world with the United States still in number one followed by Germany and Sweden.

Many countries took advantage of North Korea's omission from the world rankings as Australia, one of the co-hosts of this year's FIFA Women's World Cup, is the new world number 10.

However, Japan remained at number 11 and South Korea even fell to number 17 in the world.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno