The North Korean national soccer team dramatically succeeded in advancing to the third qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup.
North Korea beat Myanmar 4-1 in the final 6th Group B match of the second Asian qualifying round for the North and Central America World Cup in Vientiane, Laos, on the 11th (local time).
North Korea, which had three wins, three losses and nine points at the 메이저놀이터, passed the second qualifying round as the second-ranked team in its group after Japan (18 points from all six games). It was also fortunate for North Korea that Syria (2 wins, one draw, three losses and seven points) lost to Japan 0-5 in the previous game.
North Korea was likely to be eliminated with only one win and three losses.
North Korea was highly likely to be eliminated as it only had one win and three losses in the first four matches of the second qualifying round. However, it beat Syria 1-0 in the fifth match held in Vientiane, Laos, on Wednesday, and successfully turned the tables by beating Myanmar. North Korea also played in Laos, in the match against Myanmar, following the match against Syria.
North Korea has never advanced to the World Cup finals since the 2010 South African Games. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the North held its second qualifying round, but withdrew midway due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Japan clinched the second qualifying round with a 5-0 home victory over Syria and ended its second qualifying round with six consecutive wins. He has scored 24 goals in six matches and has not lost a single goal.
European players such as Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Doan Rits (Friburg), Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco), and Yuki Soma (Casa Pia) tasted the goal evenly.
At the second qualifying round, Korea recorded all six wins in Group B, Japan in 안전놀이터, Iraq in Group F, and Australia in Group I. Korea tied with Thailand at home and recorded five wins and one draw.
