North Korea women's national football team

Korea DPR
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Eastern Azaleas
AssociationDPR Korea Football Association
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationEAFF (East Asia)
Head coachRi Yu-il
Most capsRi Kum-suk (123)
Top scorerRi Kum-suk (40)
Home stadiumRungnado Stadium
Kim Il-Sung Stadium
Yanggakdo Stadium
FIFA codePRK
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 9 New entry (15 December 2023)
Highest5 (December 2006 – June 2007; September 2008 – March 2010)
Lowest12 (July 2011)
First international
 China 4–1 North Korea 
(Hong Kong; 21 December 1989)
Biggest win
 North Korea 24–0 Singapore 
(Hong Kong; 21 June 2001)
Biggest defeat
 France 5–0 North Korea 
(Glasgow, Scotland; 28 July 2012)
World Cup
Appearances4 (first in 1999)
Best resultQuarter-finals (2007)
Olympic Games
Appearances2 (first in 2008)
Best resultGroup stage (2008, 2012)
Asian Cup
Appearances10 (first in 1989)
Best resultWinners (2001, 2003, 2008)

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea women's national football team (Munhwaŏ Korean: 조선민주주의인민공화국 녀자 국가종합팀, recognized as Korea DPR by FIFA) represents North Korea in international women's football.

North Korea won the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2001 (scoring 53 goals in 6 matches, a record that still stands), 2003, and 2008, and reached the quarterfinals of the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.

History

1980s

According to data from the Korean Central News Agency, women's football in the country began to take shape in the year 1985. The first football team was formed in the Society of Provincial Sports of South Pyongan Province (Korean평안남도체육선수단), and soon after, other women's football teams started emerging. On May 19, 1986, the first exhibition match of women's football teams was played at the Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang.

The first international match of the North Korean national team was held on December 21, 1989, against the Chinese national team as part of the 1989 AFC Women's Championship. The match, which took place in Hong Kong, ended with a defeat for the Koreans, with a score of 1–4. Later in the same tournament, the national team played two more matches, losing 1–3 to the Chinese Taipei national team and winning 4–0 against the Thai national team, thus finishing third in their group. In the following year, in 1990, the North Korean national team won their first international medal, securing bronze medals at the Women's Football Tournament of the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing. They only suffered one loss to the Chinese team during the tournament and achieved a 7–0 victory against the South Korean national team.

The 1991 AFC Women's Championship in Japan, in addition to its primary purpose, served as a qualification stage for the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup, with the top three Asian teams earning a spot in the World Cup. The North Korean national team had a successful start in the tournament, finishing second in their subgroup, which qualified them for the semi-finals. In the semi-final match, the Koreans were defeated by the Chinese team with a score of 0–1. In the match for third place, they faced the Chinese Taipei national team. The regular and extra time of the match ended in a goalless draw, and the winner was determined in a penalty shootout, in which the North Korean national team lost 4–5, finishing fourth in the tournament and failing to qualify for the World Cup. The 1993 AFC Women's Championship brought silver medals to the North Korean team, as they only lost the final match to the Chinese team with a score of 3–0. the North Korean team missed the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup tournament as they were absent from 1994 Asian Games held in Hiroshima, which served as a parallel qualification for the World Cup. The North Korean national team was also absent from the 1995 AFC Women's Championship.

For the first time in their History, the Korean women's team secured a spot in the World Cup. after finishing as runners-up in the 1997 AFC Women's Championship. In the semi-finals, they defeated the Japanese national team with a score of 1–0. In the final match, they faced the Chinese team once more and were defeated 0–2. At the 1998 Asian Games, the North Korean national team reached the final again but lost to its Chinese counterparts with a score of 0–1. In their first World Cup, the North Korean team was placed in a group with the national teams of Nigeria, Denmark, and the tournament hosts, the United States. They lost their first match against Nigeria with a score of 1–2, but the North Korean team bounced back in the second match, as they defeated the Danish team with a score of 3–0. a 0–3 loss to the USA national team in the final group-stage match left the North Korean team in third place in the group, preventing them from reaching the tournament's knockout stage.

Disqualification for 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup

During the team's participation at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, on 7 July 2011, FIFA announced that two of its players, Song Jong-Sun and Jong Pok-Sim, had failed doping tests during the tournament and were provisionally suspended prior to their team's match against Colombia. On 16 July, FIFA announced that three additional players from North Korea tested positive following target testing of the whole team. On 25 August 2011, the North Korean team was fined US$ 400,000 which is equal to the prize it received by finishing 13th in the 2011 tournament, and was excluded from participation at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, including its qualification round.

2020s

After it won the 2019 Cyprus Women's Cup in March 2019, the team was inactive until the 2022 Asian Games (played in September 2023) partially due to the COVID-19 pandemic; during this time, the team became unranked due to a lack of FIFA-recognized play. The team's ranking has since been restored. As of the December 2023 FIFA rankings, the team is ranked 9th in the world.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

 Win  Draw  Loss  Fixtures

2023

24 September 2022 Asian Games North Korea  7–0  Singapore Wenzhou, China
19:30 UTC+8
Report Stadium: Wenzhou Sports Centre
Attendance: 5,320
Referee: Haneen Murad (Jordan)
Assistant referees: Heba Saadieh (Palestine)
Islam Al-Abadi (Jordan)
Fourth official: Doumouh Al Bakkar (Lebanon)
27 September 2022 Asian Games Singapore  0–10  North Korea Wenzhou, China
16:00 UTC+8 Report
  • Kim Kyong-yong 3', 19' (pen.), 36', 45+1', 90+7'
  • An Myong-song 15', 60'
  • Ri Myong-gum 17'
  • Myong Yu-jong 42'
  • Pong Song-ae 71'
Stadium: Wenzhou Sports Centre
Attendance: 3,669
Referee: Doumouh Al Bakkar (Lebanon)
Assistant referees: Unurjargal Battsetseg (Mongolia)
Islam Al-Abadi (Jordan)
Fourth official: Haneen Murad (Jordan)
30 September 2022 Asian Games QF South Korea  1–4  North Korea Wenzhou, China
16:30 UTC+8
  • An Myong-song 11' (o.g.)
Report
Stadium: Wenzhou Sports Centre
Attendance: 6,171
Referee: Pansa Chaisanit (Thailand)
3 October 2022 Asian Games SF Uzbekistan  0–8  North Korea Hangzhou, China
18:00 UTC+8 Report
Stadium: Shangcheng Sports Centre Stadium
Attendance: 10,402
Referee: Le Thi Ly (Vietnam)
6 October 2022 Asian Games F Japan  4–1  North Korea Hangzhou, China
20:00 UTC+8
Report Stadium: Huanglong Sports Centre Stadium
Attendance: 37,166
Referee: Veronika Bernatskaia (Kyrgyzstan)
26 October 2024 Olympic Qualifiers R2 China  1–2  North Korea Xiamen, China
19:35 UTC+8 Report
Stadium: Xiamen Egret Stadium
Referee: Kate Jacewicz (Australia)
29 October 2024 Olympic Qualifiers R2 North Korea  0–0  South Korea Xiamen, China
15:30 UTC+8 Report Stadium: Xiamen Egret Stadium
Attendance: 7,582
Referee: Lê Thị Lý (Vietnam)
1 November 2024 Olympic Qualifiers R2 Thailand  0–7  North Korea Xiamen, China
15:30 UTC+8 Report
Stadium: Xiamen Egret Stadium
Attendance: 869
Referee: Plong Pich Akara (Cambodia)
30 November 2024 EAFF E-1 Football Championship PR Hong Kong  0–11  North Korea Zhuhai, China
16:00 UTC+8 Report
Stadium: Suoka Sports Training Base Pitch 2
Referee: Dong Fangyu (China PR)
2 December 2024 EAFF E-1 Football Championship PR North Korea  19–0  Mongolia Zhuhai, China
16:00 UTC+8
  • Kim Chung-mi 4', 26', 83'
  • Hong Song-ok 6', 19', 75'
  • Han Jin-hong 9'
  • Kim Jong-sim 12', 53'
  • Song Chun-sim 14'
  • Pong Song-ae 16', 90'
  • Ju Hyo-sim 51' (pen.)
  • Kim Hye-yong 55', 65'
  • Ri Su-jong 69', 85', 87'
  • Myong Yu-jong 80'
Report Stadium: Suoka Sports Training Base Pitch 2
Referee: Tien Jin (China)
4 December 2024 EAFF E-1 Football Championship PR Northern Mariana Islands  0–17  North Korea Zhuhai, China
10:00 UTC+8 Report
  • Han Jin-hong 4', 59', 61'
  • Kim Jong-sim 19'
  • Kim Hye-yong 30', 46', 49'
  • Ri Su-jong 35', 71'
  • Kim Chung-mi 41'
  • Song Chun-sim 43'
  • Pong Song-ae 55'
  • Ri Kum-hyang 64' (pen.)
  • Choe Kum-ok 66'
  • Hong Song-ok 73'
  • Sung Hyang-sim 86'
  • Kim Kyong-yong 90'
Stadium: Suoka Sports Training Base Pitch 2
Referee: Dong Fangyu (China)
7 December 2024 EAFF E-1 Football Championship PR Final North Korea  5–0  Chinese Taipei Taipa, Macau
20:00 UTC+8
  • Choe Kum-ok 26'
  • Ri Hak 35', 40', 64'
  • Song Chun-sim 55'
Report Stadium: Estádio Campo Desportivo

2024

24 February 2024 Olympic Qualifiers R3 North Korea  0–0  Japan Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
16:04 UTC+3 Report Stadium: Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium
Attendance: 100
Referee: Lê Thị Lý (Vietnam)
28 February 2024 Olympic Qualifiers R3 Japan  2–1
(2–1 agg.)
 North Korea Tokyo, Japan
18:34 UTC+9
Report
  • Kim Hye-yong 81'
Stadium: Japan National Stadium
Attendance: 45,787
Referee: Casey Reibelt (Australia)

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

As of 30 September 2023.
Role Name Ref.
Head coach Ri Yu Il
Team Manager Kim Myong Chol
Assistant coach Pak Song Jin
GK coach Kim Myong Gil
Fitness coach Ri Jong Sim
Team Doctor North Korea Pak Kyong Hui

Manager history

Name Period Tournament
North Korea Myong Dong-chan 1989–1999 1989 AFC Women's Championship: Group Stage
1991 AFC Women's Championship: Fourth place
1993 AFC Women's Championship: 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Second place
1997 AFC Women's Championship: 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Second place
1998 Asian Games: 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal Winners
1999 FIFA Women's World Cup: Group stage
North Korea Ri Song-gun 1999–2003 1999 AFC Women's Championship: 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Third Place
2001 AFC Women's Championship: Champions
2002 Albena Cup: Champions
2002 Asian Games: 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal Winners
2003 AFC Women's Championship: Champions
2003 FIFA Women's World Cup: Group stage
North Korea Sin Ui-gun 2012 2012 Four Nations Tournament: Champions
2012 Summer Olympics: Group stage
North Korea Kim Kwang-min 2004–2011
2013–2019
2004 Australia Cup: Champions
2005 EAFF Women's Football Championship: 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Second place
2006 AFC Women's Asian Cup: 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Third Place
2006 Asian Games: 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal Winners
2007 FIFA Women's World Cup: Quarter-finalists
2008 EAFF Women's Football Championship: 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Second place
2008 AFC Women's Asian Cup: Champions
2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup: 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Second place
2010 Asian Games 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal Winners
2011 FIFA Women's World Cup: Group stage
2013 EAFF Women's East Asian Cup: Champions
2014 Four Nations Tournament: 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Second place
2014 Algarve Cup: Eighth place
2014 Asian Games: 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal Winners
2015 EAFF Women's East Asian Cup: Champions
2017 Cyprus Women's Cup: 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Third Place
2017 Yongchuan International Tournament: 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Second Place
2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship: Champions
2018 Cyprus Women's Cup: 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Third Place
2018 Asian Games: Quarter-finalists
2019 Cyprus Women's Cup: Champions
North Korea Ri Yu Il 2023–present 2022 Asian Games: 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal Winners

Players

Current squad

The following 22 players were called up for the AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Third round.

  • Match dates: 24 and 28 February 2024
  • Opposition:  Japan
  • Caps and goals correct as of: 28 February 2024, after the match against  Japan
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Pak Ju-mi (2003-07-01) 1 July 2003 (age 20) 6 0 North Korea Naekohyang Sport Club
18 1GK Yu Son-gum (2003-11-08) 8 November 2003 (age 20) 4 0 North Korea Sobaeksu Sports Club
21 1GK Kim Jong-sun 0 0 North Korea Sobaeksu Sports Club

2 2DF Ri Myong-gum (리명금) (2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 (age 21) 11 1 North Korea Naekohyang Sport Club
3 2DF Ri Kum-hyang (리금향) (2001-04-22) 22 April 2001 (age 22) 13 2 North Korea Naekohyang Sport Club
4 2DF Pong Song-ae (봉성애) (2001-11-30) 30 November 2001 (age 22) 5 4 North Korea Naekohyang Sport Club
5 2DF Song Chun-sim (2002-05-29) 29 May 2002 (age 21) 3 3 North Korea Pyongyang Sports Club
6 2DF Myong Yu-jong (명유정) (2003-08-29) 29 August 2003 (age 20) 14 3 North Korea April 25 Sports Club
16 2DF Pak Sin-Jong (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 26) 3 0 North Korea Amnokgang Sports Club
19 2DF Ri Jong-gum (2002-08-09) 9 August 2002 (age 21) 5 0 North Korea April 25 Sports Club
20 2DF Ri Hye-gyong (1999-09-24) 24 September 1999 (age 24) 12 0 North Korea Amnokgang Sports Club

8 3MF Ri Su-jong (2002-07-05) 5 July 2002 (age 21) 10 6 North Korea Naekohyang Sport Club
9 3MF Ju Hyo-sim (주효심) (1998-06-21) 21 June 1998 (age 25) 10 3 North Korea April 25 Sports Club
12 3MF Choe Kum-ok (2002-02-23) 23 February 2002 (age 22) 12 4 North Korea Naekohyang Sport Club
15 3MF Wi Jong-sim (위정심) (captain) (1997-10-13) 13 October 1997 (age 26) 7 0 North Korea April 25 Sports Club

7 4FW Sung Hyang-sim (승향심) (1999-12-02) 2 December 1999 (age 24) 11 6 North Korea Pyongyang Sports Club
10 4FW Ri Hak (리학) (2002-06-12) 12 June 2002 (age 21) 11 9 North Korea April 25 Sports Club
11 4FW Han Jin-hong (2002-02-16) 16 February 2002 (age 22) 7 6 North Korea April 25 Sports Club
13 4FW Kim Chung-mi (2003-06-01) 1 June 2003 (age 20) 10 4 North Korea April 25 Sports Club
14 4FW Hong Song-ok (홍성옥) (2003-08-21) 21 August 2003 (age 20) 13 7 North Korea Amnokgang Sports Club
17 4FW Kim Kyong-yong (김경영) (2002-01-02) 2 January 2002 (age 22) 13 17 North Korea Naekohyang Sport Club
22 4FW Kim Hye-yong (김혜영) (2003-03-11) 11 March 2003 (age 20) 9 7 North Korea Naekohyang Sport Club

Recent call ups

  • The following players have been called up to a North Korea squad in the past 12 months.
Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Kim Un-hui (1999-02-01) 1 February 1999 (age 25) 5 0 North Korea Amnokgang Sports Club 2024 Olympic Qualifying

DF Son Ok-ju (2000-03-07) 7 March 2000 (age 23) 4 0 North Korea Rimyongsu Sports Club 2024 Olympic Qualifying
DF Ri Pom-Hyang (1998-03-15) 15 March 1998 (age 25) 0 0 North Korea April 25 Sports Club 2022 Asian Games

MF Kim Jong-sim (1999-09-26) 26 September 1999 (age 24) 7 5 North Korea 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Preliminary round

FW An Myong-song (2001-08-16) 16 August 2001 (age 22) 5 4 North Korea Amnokgang Sports Club 2022 Asian Games

Honours

Continental

Champions: 2001, 2003, 2008
Runners-up: 1993, 1997, 2010
Champions: 2002, 2006, 2014
Runners-up: 1998, 2010, 2022
Bronze Medalists: 1990

Regional

Champions: 2013, 2015, 2017
Runners-up: 2005, 2008

Other invitational tournaments

Champions: 2002
Champions: 2004
Champions: 2019
Champions: 2012

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

The team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup record
Year Result GP W D* L GF GA GD
China 1991 Did not qualify
Sweden 1995 Did not enter
United States 1999 Group Stage 3 1 0 2 4 6 −2
United States 2003 3 1 0 2 3 4 −1
China 2007 Quarter-finals 4 1 1 2 5 7 −2
Germany 2011 Group Stage 3 0 1 2 0 3 −3
Canada 2015 Banned
France 2019 Did not qualify
AustraliaNew Zealand 2023 Did not enter
2027 TBD
Total 4/9 13 3 2 8 12 20 −8
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
FIFA Women's World Cup history
Year Round Date Opponent Result Stadium
United States 1999 Group stage 20 June  Nigeria L 1–2 Rose Bowl, Pasadena
24 June  Denmark W 3–1 Civic Stadium, Portland
27 June  United States L 0–3 Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough
United States 2003 Group stage 20 September  Nigeria W 3–0 Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
25 September  Sweden L 0–1
28 September  United States L 0–3 Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus
China 2007 Group stage 11 September  United States D 2–2 Chengdu Sports Center, Chengdu
14 September  Nigeria W 2–0
18 September  Sweden L 1–2 Tianjin Olympic Centre Stadium, Tianjin
Quarter-finals 22 September  Germany L 0–3 Wuhan Stadium, Wuhan
Germany 2011 Group stage 28 June  United States L 0–2 Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion, Dresden
2 July  Sweden L 0–1 Impuls Arena, Augsburg
6 July  Colombia D 0–0 Ruhrstadion, Bochum

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record
Hosts / Year Result GP W D L GS GA GD
United States 1996 Did not qualify
Australia 2000
Greece 2004
China 2008 Group stage 3 1 0 2 2 3 –1
United Kingdom 2012 3 1 0 2 2 6 –4
Brazil 2016 Did not qualify
Japan 2020 Withdrew
France 2024 Did not qualify
Total 2/7 6 2 0 4 4 9 -5

AFC Women's Asian Cup

AFC Women's Asian Cup record
Hosts / Year Result GP W D* L GS GA GD
Hong Kong 1975 Did not participate
Taiwan 1977
India 1980
Hong Kong 1981
1983
Hong Kong 1986
Hong Kong 1989 Group stage 3 1 0 2 6 7 −1
Japan 1991 Fourth place 6 3 1 2 25 2 +23
Malaysia 1993 Runner-up 5 3 1 1 18 4 +14
Malaysia 1995 Did not participate
China 1997 Runner-up 5 3 0 2 24 6 +18
Philippines 1999 Third place 6 4 1 1 28 8 +20
Chinese Taipei 2001 Winners 6 6 0 0 53 1 +52
2003 6 5 1 0 50 3 +47
Australia 2006 Third place 6 4 1 1 16 3 +13
Vietnam 2008 Winners 5 5 0 0 14 1 +13
China 2010 Runner-up 5 3 1 1 7 2 +5
Vietnam 2014 Banned (see above)
Jordan 2018 Did not qualify
India 2022 Withdrew
Total 10/19 53 37 6 10 241 37 +204
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Asian Games

Football at the Asian Games
Year Result M W D L GF GA GD
 China 1990 Third place 5 2 2 1 19 3 +16
 Japan 1994 Did not enter
 Thailand 1998 Runners-up 5 3 1 1 26 4 +22
 South Korea 2002 Winners 5 4 1 0 8 0 +8
 Qatar 2006 5 4 1 0 16 2 +14
 China 2010 Runners-up 4 2 1 1 5 2 +3
 South Korea 2014 Winners 5 5 0 0 16 2 +14
 Indonesia 2018 6th place 4 2 0 2 25 4 +21
 China 2022 Runners-up 4 4 0 1 30 5 +25
 Japan 2026 TBD - - - - - - -
Total 7/8 31 22 6 5 115 17 +98

EAFF E-1 Football Championship

EAFF E-1 Football Championship (women)
Year Result M W D L GF GA GD
 South Korea 2005 Runners-up 3 2 0 1 2 1 +1
 China 2008 3 1 1 1 6 3 +3
 Japan 2010 Withdrew
 South Korea 2013 Winners 3 2 1 0 3 1 +2
 China 2015 3 3 0 0 9 4 +5
 Japan 2017 3 3 0 0 5 0 +5
 South Korea 2019 Withdrew
 Japan 2022 Did not enter
 South Korea 2024
Total 5/9 15 11 2 2 25 9 +16

Algarve Cup

Portugal Algarve Cup record
Year Result M W D L GF GA GD
2014 8th place 4 3 0 1 6 4 +2
Total 1/27 4 3 0 1 6 4 +2

Cyprus Women's Cup

Cyprus Cyprus Women's Cup record
Year Result GP W D L GF GA GD
2017 Third place 4 3 0 1 9 2 +7
2018 Third place 4 3 1 0 5 1 +4
2019 Champions 4 3 1 0 12 6 +6
Total 3/13 12 9 2 1 26 9 +17

Four Nations Tournament

China Four Nations Tournament record
Year Result GP W D L GF GA GD
2012 Champions 3 2 1 0 2 0 +2
2014 Runners-up 3 2 0 1 3 1 +2
Total 2/18 6 4 1 1 5 1 +4

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-05 01:01 UTC. Update now. View original page.

All our content comes from Wikipedia and under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.


Top

If mathematical, chemical, physical and other formulas are not displayed correctly on this page, please useFirefox or Safari