Pansa Hemviboon of Thailand heads the musket ball away from Tim Cahill of the Socceroos GERMANY is back at the top of earth soccer, taking over from Brazil as No. 1 in the FIFA rankings which will have a greater function deciding how the World Cup groups are drawn. The Socceroos, meanwhile, have dropped five spots to No.50 in FIFA ’ s latest populace rankings, published on Thursday. Despite a 2-1 win over Thailand in their World Cup modifier earlier this calendar month, Ange Postecoglou ’ randomness side suffered a decrease off the back of their 2-0 personnel casualty to Japan in late August.

Australia will immediately play Syria, ranked a nation-high 75th, in October ’ s two- legged asian World Cup qualifying playoff for the right to progress to an intercontinental playoff against the fourth-best team from the North and Central American zone. World champions Germany supplanted Brazil to return to the circus tent of the pile. Germany ’ s 2-1 succeed aside to the Czech Republic and their 6-0 cream of Norway in the World Cup qualifiers lifted them over the already-qualified Brazil, who dropped points in a pull back away to Colombia. european champions Portugal climbed three places to third, even though they are moment in their World Cup qualifying group behind Switzerland. Argentina are fourth in the rankings despite struggling in qualifying for Russia 2018 with draws in their past two games — away to Uruguay and at home to Venezuela. Three other teams reached their best-ever place — Peru ( 12th ), Northern Ireland ( 20th ) and Luxemburg ( 101st ) after they held France to a 0-0 draw away. The rankings made disappointing read for asian nations with only three sides in the top 50 – Iran ( 25th ), Japan ( 40th ) and Australia. New Zealand, who will play off against the fifth-best team in South America for a World Cup berth, jumped 10 spots to be 113th and Oceania ’ s top nation. The best of the other regions are Mexico at No.14 and Egypt at No.30. The next FIFA rankings will be announced on October 16 and will be used to determine the seedings in the puff for the four european playoff ties for next year ’ s World Cup. TOP 20 FIFA RANKINGS SEPTEMBER (last month’s ranking in brackets) 1. Germany ( 2 ) 2. Brazil ( 1 ) 3. Portugal ( 6 ) 4. Argentina ( 3 ) 5. Belgium ( 9 ) 6. Poland ( 5 ) 7. Switzerland ( 4 ) 8. France ( 10 ) 9. Chile ( 7 ) 10. Colombia ( 8 ) 11. Spain ( 11 ) 12. Peru ( 15 )

13. Wales ( 18 ) 14. Mexico ( 14 ) 15. England ( 13 ) 16. Uruguay ( 17 ) 17. Italy ( 12 ) 18. Croatia ( 16 ) 19. Slovakia ( 22 ) 20. Northern Ireland ( 23 ) — — — — — — — — — — — — — 50. Australia ( 45 ) 113. New Zealand ( 123 ) FIFA announced a pluck to the World Cup seeding summons on Thursday that means all four draw pots will be decided according to rankings. Past World Cup draws have been made by geographic region after the host and seven highest-ranked filled a top-seeded pot. On Dec. 1 in Moscow, Russia – presently No. 64 – and the teams ranked Nos. 1 to 7 in the October rankings will be the clear seeds. The other 24 qualifiers will be in draw pots according to ranking. still, FIFA has included a rule which should ensure that the 2018 tournament draw follows the libra of previous draws very closely. “ No team from the like confederation, with the exception of ( european body ) UEFA, which could have two teams in the like group, will be drawn into the same group, ” FIFA said in a argument. The new rule would avoid what befell Italy four years ago. Despite just missing being in the top-seeded pot, Italy was picked out in a random draw of the nine non-seeded european teams to be taken out of the all-European pot. France was the lowest-ranked european modifier but escaped being picked in that pre-draw lottery. Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou informant : AAP

Italy was then eliminated from a hood group with England, Uruguay and Costa Rica, which stunned worldly concern soccer by finishing top. In the September rankings, european champion Portugal rose three places to No. 3, while Argentina fell one to No. 4, and No. 5 Belgium climbed four places. european teams, which each played two qualifiers, gained on their south american rivals and could have six of the eight seeded positions in December. Poland is No. 6, followed by Switzerland, France, Chile and Colombia. The best of the other regions include Mexico at No. 14, Iran at No. 25, and Egypt at No. 30. FIFA ’ s October rankings will besides decide seeding for eight european teams entering two-leg playoffs in November .