World Cup qualifying round failed to be held on the 26th

The second Asian qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup between North Korea and Japan, which has been noisy over the venue, will not be held in time.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on its website on the afternoon of the 22nd, "The second qualifying match for the North Korea-Japan World Cup, which was scheduled to be held on the 26th, will not be held as scheduled due to unexpected events."

"The decision was made after consultation with FIFA and other officials. The decision was made after North Korea was informed on the 20th that the venue of the game should be moved to a neutral zone due to unavoidable circumstances," he said.

Earlier, AFC Secretary General Dato Windsor told the media that he would hold the match between North Korea and Japan as scheduled, but apparently failed to resolve the venue issue. Hours before the announcement on his website, John told AFP that the match would be held in a third country, adding, "It is the responsibility of the organiser (of the home game) to designate a neutral stadium. If that is not possible, AFC should designate the venue."

It has not been decided how to proceed with the World Cup qualifying schedule, which has been in trouble due to the North's sudden notification that it will not play at home. While it is unclear whether the North Korea-Japan match is being postponed or whether the game itself is being canceled, AFC only added that it will discuss the situation at a FIFA-affiliated committee and announce its decision later.

The match was supposed to be held in Pyongyang. North Korea and Japan were grouped together in Group B of the second round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 North-China World Cup. Japan beat North Korea 1-0 in the third match held at the New National Stadium in Shinjuku, Tokyo on the previous day.

According to the home-and-away method, the fourth game was scheduled to take place at Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang on Wednesday, but suddenly, the North Korean side expressed its difficulty in holding the home game. It is not known why the North expressed objection to the home game. John did not mention it, and the AFC notification only mentioned it as an "inevitable situation."

AFC has decided that there is no problem in playing at Kim Il Sung Stadium during an inspection visit there this month. Japan's Kyodo News reported that Japan's "malignant infectious disease" is being reported in North Korea, adding that the move appears to be a quarantine measure to guard against the increasing number of infected people in Japan.

Japan, which is ranking No. 1 in its group by securing all three wins in Group B of the Asian qualifying round for the World Cup, is about to advance to the third qualifying round for the North, Central America and the U.S. On the other hand, North Korea, which has one win and two losses, desperately needs one win. The North Korean team will advance to the second place in each group in the third qualifying round. Currently, the North is ranking third in its group, following Syria (1 win, one draw and one loss with four points).   메이저사이트