North Korea National Football Team

North Korea National Football Team

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea national football team (recognized as Korea DPR by FIFA and known colloquially and in the media as North Korea) represents the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in international association football and is controlled by the DPR Korea Football Association, the governing body for football in North Korea.

North Korea surprised with a good showing at their World Cup debut, reaching the quarter-finals in 1966, beating Italy in the group stage. Controversy arose during the 2006 World Cup Qualifiers, when the team's supporters caused problems because of the team's failure to qualify. In 2009, the team qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the second World Cup appearance in their history. North Korea have qualified for the AFC Asian Cup three times; in 1980, when they finished fourth, in 1992 and in 2011. The current team is composed of both native North Koreans and Chongryon-affiliated Koreans born in Japan.

North Korea are the reigning Unofficial Football World Champions after defeating previous title-holders Japan 1–0 at the Kim Il-Sung Stadium on November 15, 2011.

Read more about North Korea National Football Team:  2006 World Cup Qualifying Stage Controversy, Recent and Upcoming Games

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