Football: Brazil keep climbing Fifa rankings, S'pore drop two spots to 147

PARIS - World Cup football hosts Brazil moved up two places to fourth in the new Fifa world rankings released on Thursday, making the biggest jump of the major teams.

Having dropped to a record low of 22 only 11 months ago, Brazil are now again the top team in South America, moving above Colombia and Uruguay.

Spain remain top of the pile ahead of fellow European sides Germany and Portugal.

Among Asian teams, Iran stay top in 37th place followed by Japan 10 spots back. Singapore drop two spots to joint 147th with India. In South-east Asia, the Lions are ranked fifth behind Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia.

The final Fifa rankings before the World Cup starts on June 12 will be published on June 5.