ZURICH: North Korea risk expulsion from the 2026 World Cup qualifying competition after scrapping a tie with Japan at short notice.

The tie was scheduled for tomorrow [March 26] in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. 

The Asian Football Confederation had said announced last Friday that the match could not be held on the scheduled date and in the original venue because of “unforeseen circumstances” . These were ascrined in some quarters to North Korean concern about infection transmission.

FIFA has expanded that there is no other option in the international calendar so the disciplinary committee must take a view.

Japan beat North Korea 1-0 in Tokyo last week in a group which also features Myanmar and Syria.

North Korea had been unable to host Japan for the second leg of qualifying for the Olympics Games but the match, initially scheduled for Pyongyang, was eventually played in Saudi Arabia.

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