North Korea national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Korea DPR

Nickname(s)	Chollima (Korean: 천리마) Samba of East Asia (Korean: 동아시아의 삼바)
Association	DPR Korea Football Association (PRKFA)
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	EAFF (East Asia)
Head coach	Sin Yong-nam
Captain	Jang Kuk-chol
Most caps	Ri Myong-guk (118)
Top scorer	Jong Il-gwan (31)
Home stadium	Kim Il Sung Stadium
FIFA code	PRK
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	121 12 (7 February 2019)
Highest	57 (November 1993)
Lowest	181 (October – November 1998)
Elo ranking
Current	127 31 (3 March 2019)
Highest	10 (January 1970)
Lowest	131 (June 2019)
First international
China 0–1 North Korea  (Beijing, China; 7 October 1956)
Biggest win
North Korea 21–0 Guam  (Taipei, Taiwan; 11 March 2005)
Biggest defeat
Portugal 7–0 North Korea  (Cape Town, South Africa; 21 June 2010)
World Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 1966)
Best result	Quarter-finals (1966)
AFC Asian Cup
Appearances	6 (first in 1980)
Best result	Fourth place (1980)
AFC Challenge Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 2008)
Best result	Champions (2010, 2012)
EAFF E-1 Football Championship
Appearances	4 (first in 2005)
Best result	Third place (2005, 2015)
Medal record Asian Games Gold 1978 Thailand Team Silver 1990 China Team AFC Challenge Cup Gold 2012 Nepal Team Gold 2010 Sri Lanka Team Bronze 2008 India Team EAFF E-1 Football Championship Bronze 2005 South Korea Team Bronze 2015 China Team East Asian Games Silver 1993 Shanghai Team

The North Korea national football team represents North Korea in men's international football. It is controlled by the DPR Korea Football Association. This group manages football in North Korea. The team joined FIFA in 1958 and the AFC in 1974.

North Korea's national team first played in the FIFA World Cup in 1966. They reached the quarter-finals, beating Italy in the group stage. This made them the first men's Asian team to get past the group stage. In 2009, the team qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This was their second time in the World Cup. North Korea has also played in the AFC Asian Cup six times. They finished fourth in 1980. They also appeared in 1992, 2011, 2015, and 2019. The team includes players from North Korea and Zainichi Koreans.

Team History and Achievements

Early Days and 1966 World Cup

The North Korea Football Association started in 1945. They joined the AFC in 1954 and FIFA in 1958. North Korea's first official match was on March 22, 1964. They played against Burma in Rangoon. This was for the 1964 Olympic qualifiers. The game ended in a 0–0 draw.

In 1965, the team played in the 1966 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. FIFA decided to give only one spot to teams from Africa, Asia, and Oceania. All African countries protested and left the competition. This left only North Korea and Australia. North Korea won both matches (6–1 and 3–1). They qualified for the World Cup finals.

At the 1966 FIFA World Cup, North Korea was in Group 4. They played against the USSR, Italy, and Chile. They lost their first game to the Soviets. Then, they drew 1–1 against Chile. Pak Seung-zin scored North Korea's first World Cup goal. The last group match was against Italy. North Korea won 1–0 with a goal from Pak Doo-ik. This was a huge surprise. It was the first time an Asian team reached the World Cup quarter-finals. The local fans in Middlesbrough cheered for the team.

In the quarter-finals, North Korea played Portugal. Portugal had beaten Brazil. North Korea started strong, leading 3–0 after 25 minutes. Goals came from Pak Seung-zin, Yang Seung-kook, and Li Dong-woon. But Portugal's star player, Eusébio, scored four goals. Portugal won 5–3. When the North Korean players returned home, they were celebrated as heroes. Pak Seung-zin is still North Korea's top scorer in the World Cup with two goals.

Years later, a British director named Dan Gordon made a film. It was called The Game of Their Lives. He found seven players from the 1966 team. The film showed how much the British public loved them.

Football in the 1970s and 1980s

After the 1966 World Cup, North Korea played fewer international matches. They did not enter some Olympic or World Cup qualifiers. In 1972, they played in the 1972 Olympic qualifiers. They won against Syria and Iraq. But they lost to Iran in a play-off.

North Korea first tried to qualify for the Asian Cup in 1976. They finished first in their group. They beat Hong Kong to qualify for the main tournament. However, North Korea later withdrew from the competition.

In 1976, the team qualified for the Olympic football tournament for the second time. They beat Canada 3–1. They lost to the Soviets 0–3. They still reached the quarter-finals. There, they lost 5–0 to Poland.

In 1980, North Korea played in the 1980 AFC Asian Cup. They had wins against Thailand and Malaysia. They finished second in their group. In the semi-finals, they played South Korea. North Korea lost 2–1. They finished fourth after losing the third-place game to Iran. This was their best Asian Cup result.

In the 1982 World Cup qualifiers, North Korea won their first group. They beat Japan in the semi-finals. But they lost to China in the final group match. This ended their World Cup hopes. In the 1982 Asian Games, they reached the semi-finals. They lost to Kuwait in extra time. After the match, North Korean players reacted strongly. The AFC banned them for two years. This meant they missed the 1984 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers and 1984 Olympic qualifiers.

Challenges and Returns (1990s-2000s)

North Korea did not play official matches for almost four years. For the 1986 World Cup qualifiers, they were in a group with Japan and Singapore. Japan won the group this time.

In 1991, North Korea hired its first foreign coach, Pál Csernai from Hungary. They qualified for the 1992 AFC Asian Cup. This was their second time in the Asian Cup. In the tournament, they were in a group with Japan, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. They did not win any matches and left in the first round.

North Korea then tried to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. They won their first group without losing. But in the next round, they lost four games in a row. After this, the team stopped playing for more than four years. This was a difficult time for North Korea.

They returned to official games in 2000. They qualified for the final tournament. They also tried for the 2000 Olympics but did not advance. After this, the team was sidelined again. They did not enter the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.

In 2003, North Korea started the 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification. They finished last in their group. During these games, there were some issues. North Korea refused visas for Jordanian players. The AFC gave Jordan a 3–0 win. North Korea was banned from all Asian competitions for a year, including the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.

In 2005, North Korea returned for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. They won their first group. But in the next round, they finished last. A few months later, they played in the 2005 East Asian Football Championship. They set a record for their biggest win, beating Guam 21–0. They finished third in the tournament.

First Title and Return to World Cup (2006–2010)

Because of the ban, North Korea could not play in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. In 2008, they entered the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup. This competition was for developing nations. The winner would qualify for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. North Korea finished third in this tournament.

In the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, North Korea easily beat Mongolia. They then finished second behind South Korea. This qualified them for the World Cup for the second time. There were some issues with South Korea. North Korea refused to play the South Korean anthem or fly their flag. So, their matches had to be played in China.

In early 2010, North Korea played in the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup. The winner would go to the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. North Korea won the tournament. This was their first major title. This win also secured their spot in the Asian Cup.

North Korea was the lowest-ranked team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They were in a tough group with Brazil, Portugal, and Côte d'Ivoire. They lost 2–1 to Brazil. Then, they lost 7–0 to Portugal. This was their biggest defeat ever. The match was shown live in North Korea, which was very rare. But the broadcast stopped after Portugal's fourth goal. North Korea lost their final match 3–0 to Côte d'Ivoire. They had the worst performance of any team in that World Cup.

Recent Years (2011–Present)

In 2011, North Korea played in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. They drew 0–0 with the United Arab Emirates. They lost 1–0 to Iran and Iraq. They did not get past the group stage.

In March 2012, North Korea defended their title in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup. They won the tournament again. This meant they qualified for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. This was their second Asian Cup in a row.

The team had a two-year unbeaten run. This ended in November 2013 with a loss to Kuwait. They qualified for the 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup finals. At the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, North Korea lost all three of their matches. After this, they won several friendly matches. They finished third in the 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup. They even beat Japan 2–1.

In the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, North Korea started well. But they lost to the Philippines in their final match. This meant they did not qualify for the next round. This led to a change in coaches. Jørn Andersen became the second European coach for North Korea.

In the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, North Korea lost all their matches. They lost 0–4 to Saudi Arabia, 0–6 to Qatar, and 1–4 to Lebanon. They had the worst record of all 24 teams.

North Korea then played in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. They beat Lebanon 2–0. They also won 1–0 against Sri Lanka. They then played South Korea in Pyongyang. This was the first time in a qualifier that the two Koreas played in Pyongyang. The match was not televised live. No Korean fans or foreign journalists were allowed. The game ended in a 0–0 draw. North Korea later withdrew from qualifying due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. FIFA and the AFC cancelled all their results. This meant North Korea would not play in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.

In August 2023, North Korea said they wanted to return to sports. They showed interest in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. On November 16, 2023, North Korea played Syria, losing 1–0. On November 21, they beat Myanmar 6–1. Jong Il-gwan scored three goals.

On June 11, 2024, North Korea reached the final round of World Cup qualification. This was their first time since 2010. They also qualified for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

Team Image

North Korea's flag at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

From 2014 to January 2024, the North Korean sports company Choeusu made the team's uniforms. In January 2024, the Chinese brand Inlang became the new uniform sponsor.

Period	Kit Provider
0000–1993	Admiral
1998–2002	Fila
2002–2003	Lotto
2003–2005	Adidas
2005–2006	Umbro
2006–2008	Hummel
2008–2010	ERKE
2010–2014	Legea
2014–2024	Ch'oeusu
2024–present	Inlang

Stadiums

North Korea usually plays home matches at the Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang. This stadium holds 50,000 people. They also use the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in Pyongyang. It is one of the largest stadiums in the world, holding 114,000 people. Since 2019, North Korea has hosted home matches in other Asian countries.

North Korea national football team home stadiums
Image	Stadium	Capacity	Location	Last match
	Rungrado 1st of May Stadium	114,000	Pyongyang	v   Jordan (14 June 2010; 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification)
	Kim Il Sung Stadium	50,000	Pyongyang	v   South Korea (15 October 2019; 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification)

Neutral Venues

Sometimes, North Korea plays their "home" matches in other countries. This happens for World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers.

North Korea neutral home stadiums
Image	Stadium	Capacity	Location	Last match
	New Laos National Stadium	25,000	Vientiane, Laos	v   Uzbekistan (19 November 2024; 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification)

Match Results and Schedule

Here are the team's match results from the last year and upcoming games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

North Korea  v  Syria

6 June 2026 World Cup qualification R2	North Korea	1–0	Syria	Vientiane, Laos
20:00 UTC+7	Jong Il-gwan  90+2'			Stadium: New Laos National Stadium Attendance: 100 Referee: Salman Ahmad Falahi (Qatar)

North Korea  v  Myanmar

11 June 2026 World Cup qualification R2	North Korea	4–1	Myanmar	Vientiane, Laos
20:00 UTC+7	Ri Il-song  12' Ri Jo-guk  16', 43', 87' (pen.)		Wai Lin Aung  57'	Stadium: New Laos National Stadium Attendance: 141 Referee: Shen Yinhao (China)

Jordan  v  North Korea

27 August Friendly	Jordan	0–0	North Korea	Amman, Jordan
19:00 UTC+3				Stadium: Petra Stadium Attendance: 0
Note: The match was held behind closed doors.

Jordan  v  North Korea

29 August Friendly	Jordan	2–1	North Korea	Amman, Jordan
19:00 UTC+3	Olwan			Stadium: Amman International Stadium Attendance: 0
Note: The match was held behind closed doors.

Uzbekistan  v  North Korea

5 September 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Uzbekistan	1–0	North Korea	Tashkent, Uzbekistan
19:00 UTC+5	Masharipov  20'			Stadium: Milliy Stadium Attendance: 24,205 Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)

North Korea  v  Qatar

10 September 2026 World Cup qualification R3	North Korea	2–2	Qatar	Vientiane, Laos
19:00 UTC+7	Ri Il-song  19' Kang Kuk-chol  52'		Afif  31' (pen.) Ali  44'	Stadium: New Laos National Stadium Attendance: 140 Referee: Nazmi Nasaruddin (Malaysia)

United Arab Emirates  v  North Korea

10 October 2026 World Cup qualification R3	United Arab Emirates	1–1	North Korea	Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
20:00 UTC+4	Al-Ghassani  66'		Jong Il-gwan  86'	Stadium: Hazza bin Zayed Stadium Attendance: 8,536 Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)

Kyrgyzstan  v  North Korea

15 October 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Kyrgyzstan	1–0	North Korea	Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
20:00 UTC+6	Brauzman  11'			Stadium: Dolen Omurzakov Stadium Attendance: 9,769 Referee: Khaled Al-Hoish (Saudi Arabia)

North Korea  v  Iran

14 November 2026 World Cup qualification R3	North Korea	2–3	Iran	Vientiane, Laos
19:00 UTC+7	Taremi  56' (o.g.) Kim Yu-song  59'		Ghayedi  29' Mohebbi  41', 45'	Stadium: New Laos National Stadium Attendance: 100 Referee: Sadullo Gulmurodi (Tajikistan)

North Korea  v  Uzbekistan

19 November 2026 World Cup qualification R3	North Korea	0–1	Uzbekistan	Vientiane, Laos
19:00 UTC+7			Fayzullaev  44'	Stadium: New Laos National Stadium Attendance: 166 Referee: Ahmed Al-Ali (Kuwait)

Guam  v  North Korea

8 December 2025 EAFF E-1 preliminary	Guam	Cancelled	North Korea	Mong Kok, Hong Kong
14:00 UTC+8				Stadium: Mong Kok Stadium
Note: North Korea withdrew shortly after the draw

North Korea  v  Macau

14 December 2025 EAFF E-1 preliminary	North Korea	Cancelled	Macau	Mong Kok, Hong Kong
14:00 UTC+8				Stadium: Mong Kok Stadium
Note: North Korea withdrew shortly after the draw

2025 Matches

Surkhon Termez v  North Korea

25 January Hybrid friendly	Surkhon Termez	1–3	North Korea	Antalya, Turkey
18:00 UTC+3	Kolesnichenko  51'		Ri Jo-Guk  69', 82' Ri Kwang-myong  75'	Stadium: Arslan Zeki Demirci Sports Complex

Gjilani v  North Korea

28 January Hybrid friendly	Gjilani	Cancelled	North Korea	Antalya, Turkey
--:-- UTC+3

Tyumen v  North Korea

2 February Hybrid friendly	Tyumen	0–1	North Korea	Antalya, Turkey
13:00 UTC+3			Kang Kuk-chol  25' (pen.)

Baltika Kaliningrad v  North Korea

4 February Hybrid friendly	Baltika Kaliningrad	1–1	North Korea	Antalya, Turkey
18:00 UTC+3	Chernov  9'		Ri Jo-guk  11'

AGMK v  North Korea

7 February Hybrid friendly	AGMK	0–1	North Korea	Antalya, Turkey
--:-- UTC+3			Jang Kuk-chol	Stadium: Arslan Zeki Demirci Sports Complex

Leningradets v  North Korea

11 February Hybrid friendly	Leningradets	3–2	North Korea	Antalya, Turkey
--:-- UTC+3	Kazakov  8' Barkov  60' Markelov  85'		Ri Kwang-myong  13' Paek Chung-song  88'

Rubin Kazan v  North Korea

14 February Hybrid friendly	Rubin Kazan	1–4	North Korea	Antalya, Turkey
17:00 UTC+3	Čumić  78'		Pak Kwang-hun  44' Kim Sung-hye  50' Ri Kum chol  71', 80'	Stadium: Calista Football Centre

Kazakhstan  v  North Korea

17 February Friendly	Kazakhstan	0–2	North Korea	Antalya, Turkey
17:00 UTC+3			Ri Il-song  70', 90+5'	Stadium: Titanic Deluxe Belek Football Center Referee: Atilla Karaoğlan (Turkey)

Qizilqum v  North Korea

18 February Hybrid friendly	Qizilqum	0–1	North Korea	Antalya, Turkey
--:-- UTC+3			Kim Sung-hye  60'	Stadium: Arslan Zeki Demirci Sports Complex

Jordan  v  North Korea

14 March Friendly	Jordan	1–1	North Korea	Amman, Jordan
21:15 UTC+3	Al-Naimat  43'		?  74' (pen.)	Stadium: Amman International Stadium Attendance: 0

Qatar  v  North Korea

20 March 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Qatar	5–1	North Korea	Doha, Qatar
21:15 UTC+3	Afif  17' Al Ganehi  23' Kim Yu-song  34' (o.g.) Al-Rawi  56' Alaaeldin  66'		Pak Kwang-hun  86'	Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium Attendance: 10,375 Referee: Mohanad Qasim Sarray (Iraq)

North Korea  v  United Arab Emirates

25 March 2026 World Cup qualification R3	North Korea	1–2	United Arab Emirates	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
21:15 UTC+3	Kim Yu-song  43'		Lima  5' Adil  90+8'	Stadium: Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium Attendance: 223 Referee: Mohammed Al Hoish (Saudi Arabia)

North Korea  v  Kyrgyzstan

5 June 2026 World Cup qualification R3	North Korea	2–2	Kyrgyzstan	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
21:15 UTC+3	Pak Kwang-hun  44' Ri Jo-guk  52'		Alykulov  57' Kim Sung-hye  90+5' (o.g.)	Stadium: Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium Attendance: 100 Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)

Iran  v  North Korea

10 June 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Iran	3–0	North Korea	Tehran, Iran
19:30 UTC+3:30	Mohebi  74' Taremi  77' Hosseinzadeh  90+3'			Stadium: Azadi Stadium Referee: Nazmi Nasaruddin (Malaysia)

Coaching Staff

Role	Name
Head coach	Sin Yong-nam
Assistant coaches	Pak Nam-chol Kim Kum-il
Goalkeeping coach	Ri Myong-guk
Match analyst	Choe Gwan-il
Performance coach	Pak Kuk-myong
Team doctors	Jang Il-bom Song Jong-chol
Physiotherapists	Choe Nam-kuk Kim Myong-il Ri Song-pyong Yun Kuk-hyong
Team coordinator	Ri Chol-myong
Technical director	Yun Jong-su

Players

Current Squad

These players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification games in June 2025.

• All caps and goals are updated as of June 10, 2025, after the match against Iran.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Kang Ju-hyok	(1997-05-31) 31 May 1997 (age 28)	16	0	Hwaebul
18	1GK	Hong Kil-ryong	(2005-07-01) 1 July 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Hwaebul
21	1GK	Yu Kwang-jun	(2000-11-05) 5 November 2000 (age 24)	2	0	Ryomyong
2	2DF	Kim Jin-hyok	(2002-03-25) 25 March 2002 (age 23)	4	0	Sonbong
3	2DF	Jang Kuk-chol (captain)	(1994-02-16) 16 February 1994 (age 31)	75	5	Hwaebul
5	2DF	Jong Hwi-nam	(2003-05-15) 15 May 2003 (age 22)	3	0	Unknown
12	2DF	Choe Ryong-il	(2004-03-23) 23 March 2004 (age 21)	4	0	April 25
16	2DF	Kim Yu-song	(2003-07-18) 18 July 2003 (age 22)	16	2	Amnokgang
19	2DF	Kim Sung-hye	(2003-01-15) 15 January 2003 (age 22)	6	0	Sonbong
23	2DF	Jong Kum-song	(1997-01-24) 24 January 1997 (age 28)	6	0	Rimyongsu
6	3MF	Kye Tam	(2000-10-06) 6 October 2000 (age 24)	6	0	Ryomyong
8	3MF	Sin Kwang-nam	(2003-11-01) 1 November 2003 (age 21)	2	0	Unknown
15	3MF	Ra Myong-song	(2003-01-06) 6 January 2003 (age 22)	5	0	Unknown
17	3MF	Kang Kuk-chol	(1999-09-29) 29 September 1999 (age 25)	29	1	Rimyongsu
20	3MF	Paek Chung-song	(2000-02-25) 25 February 2000 (age 25)	16	0	Ryomyong
22	3MF	Han Chung-guk	(2002-03-28) 28 March 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Unknown
4	4FW	Ri Kum-chol	(2004-03-26) 26 March 2004 (age 21)	2	0	April 25
7	4FW	Kim Kuk-jin	(2000-10-11) 11 October 2000 (age 24)	12	0	Kigwancha
9	4FW	Ri Jo-guk	(2002-05-09) 9 May 2002 (age 23)	11	4	Ryomyong
10	4FW	Ri Il-song	(2004-01-14) 14 January 2004 (age 21)	14	4	Ryomyong
11	4FW	Pak Kwang-hun	(1997-04-18) 18 April 1997 (age 28)	7	2	Rimyongsu
13	4FW	Choe Kuk	(2005-03-21) 21 March 2005 (age 20)	3	0	Wolmido
14	4FW	Ri Kwang-myong	(2005-04-12) 12 April 2005 (age 20)	3	0	Unknown

Recent Call-ups

These players have been called up in the last 12 months and could still be chosen.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Sin Tae-song	(2000-05-30) 30 May 2000 (age 25)	0	0	April 25	v.  Uzbekistan, 19 November 2024
DF	Kim Pom-hyok	(2000-04-15) 15 April 2000 (age 25)	9	0	Ryomyong	v.  Uzbekistan, 19 November 2024
DF	Choe Ok-chol	(1998-11-11) 11 November 1998 (age 26)	11	0	Kigwancha	v.  Uzbekistan, 19 November 2024
DF	Kim Kyong-sok	(2000-02-19) 19 February 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Sonbong	v.  Japan, 26 March 2024
DF	Choe Jin-nam	(1998-11-20) 20 November 1998 (age 26)	1	0	Ryomyong	v.  Japan, 26 March 2024
MF	Kim Kuk-bom	(1995-02-19) 19 February 1995 (age 30)	20	0	Ryomyong	v.  Qatar, 20 March 2025 INJ
MF	Kim Kum-chon	(2003-03-10) 10 March 2003 (age 22)	0	0	Kigwancha	v.  Uzbekistan, 19 November 2024
MF	Ri Hun	(1997-08-31) 31 August 1997 (age 27)	2	0	Ryomyong	v.  Uzbekistan, 19 November 2024
MF	Ri Un-chol	(1995-07-13) 13 July 1995 (age 30)	34	1	Kigwancha	v.  Uzbekistan, 19 November 2024
MF	Mun In-ju	(1999-08-22) 22 August 1999 (age 25)	1	0	FC Gifu	v.  Japan, 26 March 2024
MF	Kim Hyon	(2000-03-06) 6 March 2000 (age 25)	0	0	Amnokgang	v.  Japan, 21 March 2024PRE
FW	Han Kwang-song	(1998-09-11) 11 September 1998 (age 26)	21	2	April 25	v.  Uzbekistan, 19 November 2024
FW	Jong Il-gwan	(1992-10-30) 30 October 1992 (age 32)	85	31	Ryomyong	v.  Uzbekistan, 19 November 2024
FW	Choe Ju-song	(1996-01-27) 27 January 1996 (age 29)	16	1	Amnokgang	v.  Uzbekistan, 19 November 2024
Notes INJ = Withdrawn due to injury. PRE = Preliminary squad/standby. SUS = Serving suspension

Player Records

Players in bold are still active with North Korea.

Most Appearances

Top Goalscorers

Jong Il-gwan is North Korea's top goalscorer with 31 goals.

Tournament Records

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930	Part of Japan										Part of Japan
1934
1938
1950	Not a FIFA member										Not a FIFA member
1954
1958
1962	Did not enter										Did not enter
1966	Quarter-finals	8th	4	1	1	2	5	9	Squad		2	2	0	0	9	2
1970	Withdrew										Withdrew
1974	Did not qualify										6	1	3	2	5	5
1978	Withdrew										Withdrew
1982	Did not qualify										5	3	1	1	9	6
1986											4	1	2	1	3	2
1990											11	5	2	4	13	9
1994											13	8	1	4	24	18
1998	Did not enter										Did not enter
2002
2006	Did not qualify										12	4	2	6	16	16
2010	Group stage	32nd	3	0	0	3	1	12	Squad		16	8	6	2	20	7
2014	Did not qualify										6	2	1	3	3	4
2018											8	5	1	2	14	8
2022	Withdrew										Withdrew
2026	Did not qualify										16	3	3	10	20	28
2030	To be determined										To be determined
2034
Total	Quarter-finals	2/17	7	1	1	5	6	21	—		99	42	22	35	136	105

List of FIFA World Cup matches
Year	Round	Score	Result
1966	Round 1	North Korea 0–3  Soviet Union	Loss
	Round 1	North Korea 1–1  Chile	Draw
	Round 1	North Korea 1–0  Italy	Win
	Round 2	North Korea 3–5  Portugal	Loss
2010	Round 1	North Korea 1–2  Brazil	Loss
	Round 1	North Korea 0–7  Portugal	Loss
	Round 1	North Korea 0–3  Ivory Coast	Loss

AFC Asian Cup

AFC Asian Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1956	Not an AFC member										Not an AFC member
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976	Qualified but withdrew										5	3	1	1	7	4
1980	Fourth place	4th	6	3	0	3	10	12	Squad		5	4	1	0	9	2
1984	Banned										Banned
1988	Did not qualify										4	2	1	1	3	2
1992	Group stage	8th	3	0	1	2	2	5	Squad		3	2	1	0	8	0
1996	Did not enter										Did not enter
2000	Did not qualify										6	3	2	1	11	7
2004											8	1	2	5	5	15
2007	Banned										Banned
2011	Group stage	12th	3	0	1	2	0	2	Squad		AFC Challenge Cup
2015		14th	3	0	0	3	2	7	Squad
2019		24th	3	0	0	3	1	14	Squad		14	8	3	3	27	18
2023	Withdrew										Withdrew during qualifying
2027	Qualified										6	3	0	3	11	7
Total	Fourth place	6/14	18	3	2	13	15	40	—		51	26	11	14	76	55

EAFF Championship

EAFF Championship record											Preliminary round
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2003	Withdrew										Withdrew
2005	Third place	3rd	3	1	1	1	1	2	Squad		4	4	0	0	31	0
2008	Fourth place	4th	3	0	2	1	3	5	Squad		3	3	0	0	15	1
2010	Did not qualify										3	2	1	0	11	3
2013											4	3	1	0	16	2
2015	Third place	3rd	3	1	1	1	2	3	Squad		3	2	1	0	7	2
2017	Fourth place	4th	3	0	1	2	1	3	Squad		3	3	0	0	5	0
2019	Did not qualify										3	2	1	0	6	1
2022	Did not participate										Not held
2025	Withdrew										Withdrew
Total	Third place	4/10	12	2	5	5	7	13	—		23	19	4	0	91	9

Asian Games

Asian Games record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad
1951 to 1970	Did not enter
1974	Fourth place	4th	7	3	1	3	11	8	Squad
1978	Champions	1st	6	4	2	0	12	3	Squad
1982	Fourth place	4th	6	2	2	2	9	8	Squad
1986	Did not enter
1990	Runners-up	2nd	5	1	3	1	2	2	Squad
1994	Did not enter
1998	Second round	13th	4	1	2	1	6	8	Squad
2002–present	See North Korea national under-23 football team
Total	1 Gold medal	5/13	28	11	10	7	40	29	—

AFC Challenge Cup

AFC Challenge Cup record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2006	Did not enter
2008	Third place	3rd	5	4	0	1	9	1
2010	Champions	1st	5	3	2	0	14	2
2012	Champions	1st	5	5	0	0	12	1
2014	Did not enter
Total	2 Titles	3/5	15	12	2	1	35	4

Dynasty Cup

Dynasty Cup record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1990	Third place	3rd	3	0	1	2	1	3
1992	Third place	3rd	3	0	2	1	4	7
1995	Did not enter
1998
Total	Third place	2/4	6	0	3	3	5	10

Overall Results

The table below shows North Korea's total international record as of July 10, 2025.

• https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/nordkorea-team/21/
• FIFA.com

Honours and Awards

Continental Titles

• AFC Challenge Cup
  • Champions (2): 2010, 2012
  • Third place (1): 2008
• Asian Games¹
  • Gold medal (1): 1978
  • Silver medal (1): 1990

Regional Titles

• EAFF East Asian Cup / EAFF E-1 Football Championship
  • Third place (2): 2005, 2015

Friendly Tournament Wins

• Nehru Cup (1): 1993
• AIFF Intercontinental Cup (1): 2019
• Qatar International Friendship Tournament (1): 2010
• VFF Vietnam International Friendly Cup (1): 2010
• King's Cup (3): 1986, 1987, 2002
• Four Nations Tournament (1): 2001

Summary of Official Honours

This table shows official awards recognized by FIFA or its related football groups.

Senior Competition				Total
AFC Challenge Cup	2	0	1	3
Total	2	0	1	3

1. Competition organized by OCA, officially not recognized by FIFA.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Corea del Norte para niños

• Football in North Korea
• North Korea–South Korea football rivalry
• The Game of Their Lives (2002 film)