North Korea’s Soccer Snub: FIFA Slaps Fine for Unilateral Game Cancellation

North Korea Refuses to Host Home Game
Fined 10,000 Swiss Francs
Declared a 0-3 Forfeit Loss

The North Korean Football Association, which unilaterally canceled a home game hosting, is known to have been fined by the International Football Federation (FIFA).

On the 3rd, FIFA announced on its official website that it would fine the North Korean Football Association for unilaterally abandoning an official game. After discussing the matter with the FIFA disciplinary committee, FIFA added that it had decided on North Korea’s forfeit loss after analyzing various factors. The fine imposed on the North Korean Football Association is 10,000 Swiss Francs, approximately $12,700.

On the 26th, North Korea planned to play the fourth round of the 2026 North Central American World Cup Asian regional second round B group against Japan at the Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang. Especially after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) completed its inspection in Pyongyang and approved the hosting of the home game, there was a lot of interest in Japan setting foot on North Korean soil for the first time in 13 years.

Before this, North Korea lost 0-1 in the third round away game held in Tokyo, Japan, but from the perspective of game performance, soccer fans paid attention to the return match to be held in North Korea. The Japan Football Association was also nervously prepared to make a schedule to visit unfamiliar North Korea via China.

However, it seems that North Korea unilaterally canceled the hosting of the home game just five days before the game. The reason why North Korea refused to host the home game is known to be because of an epidemic spreading in Japan.

Kyodo News, a local media in Japan, reported, “North Korea expressed its position that it cannot host in Pyongyang, citing the quarantine measure of being wary of Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS), which is increasing in Japan,” and “North Korea was worried that STSS, which has a mortality rate of up to 30%, could spread to Pyongyang.”

Due to the sudden cancellation of the home game, the Asian Football Confederation requested North Korea to prepare an alternative venue. Still, North Korea could not propose a third-country venue and a new date for the game.

The Asian Football Confederation left the possibility of a rematch open, but when North Korea could not propose a new game date, FIFA stepped in and declared North Korea’s forfeit loss. The disciplinary committee also fined the North Korean Football Association 10,000 Swiss Francs.

FIFA expressed its intention to North Korea with such a firm attitude because North Korea has recently been giving up home games in both men’s and women’s soccer.

In the first round of the final Asian qualifiers for the Women’s Football Paris Olympics held last March, the Japanese national team’s Pyongyang expedition was also canceled. At that time, the hosting of the home game was canceled due to North Korea’s unilateral declaration three days before the game, and the game was played by selecting Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as the alternative venue. This situation and the cancellation of this Pyongyang home game overlapped, and FIFA imposed sanctions on North Korea.

North Korea, declared a 0-3 forfeit loss, was confirmed to stay in third place in the group with 1 win, 3 losses, and 3 points. To advance to the final qualifiers, you must be within the second place in each group in the second qualifiers, but it is speculated that the possibility of North Korea’s elimination has increased as it gave up the home game.

Japan hit an unexpected windfall. Japan secured a victory without a Pyongyang away game, recording four consecutive wins, and confirmed its advancement to the final qualifiers regardless of the results of the remaining two games. Since the situation was not pleasant for the Japanese football team to go to Pyongyang, the Japanese side is known to be happy.

In the 2011 Brazil World Cup qualifiers, they had an away game at the Kim Il Sung Stadium, but they were overwhelmed by the oppressive atmosphere and lost 0-1. The Japanese players held a press conference after the game, expressing their fear of the North Korean expedition. This was because they were detained at the Sunan Airport for four hours upon entering Pyongyang, and incidents such as the confiscation of food, mobile phones, and electronic devices occurred.

Meanwhile, some voices say that the fine is too small, as North Korea received a fine from the FIFA disciplinary committee due to the unilateral cancellation of the home game. Japanese soccer fans started posting messages on social media about the unacceptable amount. They said, “The fine level is too low, even though they caused trouble for the other country with selfish behavior.”