Australia FIFA ranking
Definition
A hierarchical numerical status assigned by FIFA to the Australian men's or women's national football teams, based on performance in international matches and tournaments.
Refers to the statistical standing of the 'Socceroos' or 'Matildas' within the administrative ecosystem of global football, occasionally overshadowed by off-pitch controversies involving officials or refereeing gestures.
Examples
Australia's current FIFA ranking effectively keeps them in the global spotlight, even if the VAR bench is busy causing PR headaches with questionable hand signals.
One can only hope that Australia's FIFA ranking climbs high enough to distract everyone from the latest refereeing scandals plaguing the international broadcast.
Maintaining a respectable FIFA ranking is essential for Australia, as it provides a convenient buffer of legitimacy against the occasional social media firestorm involving their match officials.