KATHMANDU: Nepal have moved up six positions in this month of FIFA rankings. According to the world football governing body FIFA, the Himalayan nation ranks in the 161st position with 999 points.

In the South-Asian region, India and Maldives are ranked higher than Nepal in the 101st and 158th positions respectively.

Neighbouring Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are ranked lower than Nepal in 185th, 187th, 202nd and203rd positions respectively in this month's world ranking.

Belgium have retained their top position for the second consecutive month in the world football followed by world champions France and South-American powerhouse Brazil in the third position.

European champions Portugal are in the fifth place and Argentina sums up the top 10 positions. Four-time world champions Italy and Germany are in 15th and 16th position.

The global soccer governing body said its new formula, approved by the FIFA Council before the World Cup, relied on adding or subtracting points, depending on the results of matches, rather than averaging points over a given period of time.