North Korea Abruptly Cancels 2026 World Cup Qualifier
Japan Awarded 3-0 Forfeit
Updated: 250 PM PDT March 21 2024
North Korea has abruptly cancelled its 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Japan, which was scheduled to take place on Friday, March 22, 2024. The Japan Football Association (JFA) has been awarded a 3-0 forfeit win as a result.
The North Korean team arrived in Japan on Wednesday, March 20, for the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. However, the team left the country on Thursday, March 21, without playing the match. The JFA said in a statement that the North Korean team had informed them of their decision to cancel the match due to "unforeseen circumstances."
The JFA said it was "deeply disappointed" by North Korea's decision and that it had filed a protest with FIFA, the governing body of world football. FIFA is expected to investigate the matter and could impose sanctions on North Korea.
The cancellation of the match is a major setback for North Korea's hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The team is currently ranked 109th in the FIFA World Rankings and is in last place in its qualifying group.
Japan, meanwhile, is ranked 24th in the FIFA World Rankings and is in second place in its qualifying group. The team has now won two of its three qualifying matches and is in a good position to advance to the next round.
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