Nam Song-chol

North Korea's debut and the 1966 FIFA World Cup

The North Korea Football Association was founded in 1945. It became a member of the AFC during the confederation's first year of existence in 1954, and has been affiliated with FIFA since 1958. The first official match of the North Korean national football team was played on 22 March 1964, in Rangoon, against Burma, as part of the 1964 Olympic qualifiers. This first match in the history of the North Korean selection ended in a goalless draw. Thanks to their victory over the Burmese in the second leg, the Chollimas reached the next round against Thailand, a two-legged affair also hosted in Rangoon. They won easily (7–0 over the two matches), but were forced to forfeit the final phase of the tournament because the IOC decided to ban any athlete who participated in the GANEFO—which several footballers from the national team did. In 1965, the national team took part again in GANEFO, and in 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification for the first time. That year, FIFA decided to place all the selections entered from Africa, Asia and Oceania in a single qualifying group, with the aim of offering only one place. All registered African countries protested by withdrawing from the competition, leaving only North Korea and Australia. The Australians started as favourites, but the North Koreans won both matches (6–1 and 3–1) and qualified for the final phase. The qualification of North Korea posed a diplomatic problem for the organizing…

Continental

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

Regional

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

Friendly

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

Only official honours are included, according to FIFA statutes (competitions organized/recognized by FIFA or an affiliated confederation).

Competition organized by OCA, officially not recognized by FIFA.