As the FIFA World Cup 26™ / AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ Preliminary Joint Qualification reaches the halfway point, SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) will take on DPR Korea in a home and away tie. The first leg will take place at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo on Thursday 21 March, before the two teams meet again five days later in Pyongyang on Tuesday 26 March.

DPR Korea have a record of one win and one defeat after two games in this qualifying round. They are level on points with Syria, but in second place on goal difference, and are chasing Japan, who have won two games in a row to lead the group. In the two matches played in November last year, they started with a 0-1 home defeat to Syria in Saudi Arabia. They then won 6-1 away to Myanmar, with JONG Il-gwan scoring a hat-trick.

They have the tenacity to never give up until the very end, and a fierce competitive spirit that often sees them fight for the ball with great determination and intensity. Head coach OIWA of the U-22 Japan National Team (now U-23 Japan National Team), who defeated the U-24 DPR Korea National Team in the quarterfinals of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games last September/October, described their style of football as “very hard-working and organised.” A number of players from the Asian Games were called up for the World Cup qualifiers last November.

With two World Cup appearances under their belt, they made a huge impact at the 1966 FIFA World Cup England™, their first World Cup appearance. The team stunned the world by reaching the quarterfinals after beating tournament favourites Italy 1-0 in their final group game. They were even three goals up against Portugal in the quarterfinals, and although they eventually lost 3-5 to the eventual third-placed finishers, their efforts were widely admired.

The team made their second World Cup appearance at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, featuring the likes of JONG Tae-se and AN Young-Hak, who played in the J.League, but were eliminated at the group stage after losing all three matches. They entered the second round of Asian qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ in the same group as Korea Republic, but the AFC announced their withdrawal from the competition midway through the qualifying campaign.

DPR Korea have fought many fierce battles with Japan in World Cup qualifiers. In recent years the two teams met in the final round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ Asian qualifiers and the third round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ Asian qualifiers. All four home and away games were close, but Japan's two wins at their home, Saitama Stadium 2002, in February 2005 and September 2011 both came in dramatic fashion, with the final goal coming during additional time in the second half.

DPR Korea National Team

Coach

SIN YONG NAM

Squad

GK
KANG JU HYOK (Hwaebul Sports Club)
SIN TAE SONG (April 25 Sports Club)
YU KWANG JUN (Ryomyong Sports Club)

DF
JANG KUK CHOL (Hwaebul Sports Club)
JONG KUM SONG (Rimyongsu Sports Club)
CHOE OK CHOL (Kigwancha Sports Club)
CHOE JIN NAM (Ryomyong Sports Club)
KIM KYONG SOK (Sonbong Sports Club)
KIM POM HYOK (Ryomyong Sports Club)
KIM YU SONG (Amnokgang Sports Club)

MF
KIM KUK BOM (April 25 Sports Club)
RI UN CHOL (Kigwancha Sports Club)
CHOE JU SONG (Amnokgang Sports Club)
MUN IN JU (FC Gifu)
KANG KUK CHOL (Rimyongsu Sports Club)
PAEK CHUNG SONG (Ryomyong Sports Club)
KIM HYON (Amnokgang Sports Club)
KYE TAM (Ryomyong Sports Club)
KIM SONG HYE (Sonbong Sports Club)
RI IL SONG (Ryomyong Sports Club)

FW
JONG IL GWAN (Choson University of Physical Education)
HAN KWANG SONG (April 25 Sports Club)
KIM KUK JIN (Kigwancha Sports Club)
RI JO GUK (Ryomyong Sports Club)

Record against Japan

7 wins, 4 draws, 8 losses (14 goals, 19 against)

Results at the FIFA World Cup™

Appearances: 2 times
※1930, 1934, 1938 were prior to independence. "Did not participate" includes withdrawals during the qualifier.
1950　Did not participate
1954　Did not participate
1958　Did not participate
1962　Did not participate
1966　Quarterfinals
1970　Did not participate
1974　Eliminated in the qualifier
1978　Did not participate
1982　Eliminated in the qualifier
1986　Eliminated in the qualifier
1990　Eliminated in the qualifier
1994　Eliminated in the qualifier
1998　Did not participate
2002　Did not participate
2006　Eliminated in the qualifier
2010　Group stage
2014　Eliminated in the qualifier
2018　Eliminated in the qualifier
2022　Did not participate

JFA OFFICIAL
TOP PARTNER

JFA OFFICIAL
SUPPLIER

JFA MAJOR PARTNER

JFA NATIONAL TEAM PARTNER