Sanctions Reverberate Through Professional Soccer

North Korea Abruptly Cancels World Cup Qualifier

Sanctions Reverberate Through Professional Soccer

North Korea has abruptly canceled its 2026 World Cup qualifying match with Japan next week.

The current team is composed of both native North Koreans and over a dozen foreign-born players, most of whom are based in Europe. This mix of talent—a direct consequence of the regime’s successful campaign to get its citizens to compete and win at international competitions—has helped the team overcome a challenging two-year period during which international regulations made travel and competition difficult.

However, North Korea is still subject to United Nations sanctions that have made travel and competition abroad difficult. Last year, the team was forced to withdraw from the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Championship in Japan due to sanctions that prevented them from obtaining visas. Hans' story is a rare case of North Korea sanctions reverberating through professional soccer. It also shows how enforcement of UN resolutions can have unintended consequences for individuals and teams caught in the crossfire.