KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya moved up three spots to world No. 135 in the Fifa rankings despite their elimination in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Despite the rise, Malaysia remain a rung below arch rivals Indonesia who are ranked world No. 134.
Malaysia's 1-1 draw with Kyrgyzstan and 3-1 win over Taiwan earlier this month saw them finish third in Group D behind Oman and Kyrgyzstan.
Coach Kim Pan Gon is now tasked with guiding Malaysia for the 2027 Asian Cup third round qualifiers.
The South Korean previously guided Malaysia to their highest ranking of No. 130 last November.
Japan are currently the best Asian side at No. 17 while Thailand, ranked No. 100, is the best Southeast Asian side.
Vietnam are No. 116, the Philippines (No. 147), Singapore (No. 159), Myanmar (No. 164) and Cambodia (No. 180).