North Korea has reportedly notified that it will not participate in the preliminary round of the U-23 Asian Cup soccer tournament starting next month.

According to the U.S. Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 11th, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said in a written question from the RFA that the North Korean Football Association has notified it of its intention to boycott the recent preliminary round of the U-23 Asian Cup.

Regarding the timing and reason for notification of absence, AFC said, "Contact the North Korean Football Association."

North Korea was originally scheduled to face Australia, Tajikistan, and Laos one after another in the preliminary round in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, on the 6th of next month.

However, due to North Korea's absence, the game schedule has also been changed.

The Tajikistan Football Association also reported on its website that North Korea's absence was changed from the preliminary schedule of four countries to that of Tajikistan, Australia and Laos.

The U-23 Asian Cup, which will be held in Qatar from April to May next year, will also serve as a preliminary round for the Paris Olympics, making it impossible for North Korea to participate in the Paris Olympics for men's soccer.

North Korea advanced to the 2020 U-23 Asian Cup finals, but was eliminated in the group stage and did not participate in the 2022 tournament.

In addition, the 1976 Montreal Games was the only time North Korea competed in the men's soccer finals at the Olympics. At that time, North Korea advanced to the quarterfinals.

Earlier, North Korea reportedly expressed its intention to participate in the second Asian qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup to AFC. North Korea's first match in the second qualifying round is a home game against Syria on Nov. 16.

North Korea has disappeared from the international sports stage since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but it is likely to compete in the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.

North Korea's men's soccer team will be in Group F of the Hangzhou Asian Games and will play against Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan and Taiwan in the group stage.

South Korea may face off in the round of 16 if South Korea and North Korea fall into first and second place in Group E. 토토