North Korea vs Japan World Cup qualifier off over 'unforeseen circumstances'

KUALA LUMPUR: North Korea's home World Cup qualifier against Japan was called off on Friday (Mar 22), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said, hours after announcing it would be moved to a neutral venue.

"The fixture between DPR Korea and Japan, scheduled to be played on Mar 26, will not take place as scheduled due to unforeseen circumstances," the AFC said in a statement.

It said the decision was taken after talks with world football governing body FIFA and came a day after North Korea said it would not be able to stage the game in the capital Pyongyang.

North Korean officials did not say why.

The AFC said the matter would now be referred to "the relevant committees" in FIFA with further updates expected.

It did not confirm if the fixture would be played at a future time or place.

Earlier on Friday, AFC general secretary Windsor John told AFP the game would proceed, but at a neutral venue.

The match in Pyongyang would have been the first game in North Korea for Japan's men's team since 2011 and a rare international football match in isolated North Korea.

Japan and North Korea's women's playoff for the Paris Olympics was switched from Pyongyang to neutral ground in Saudi Arabia last month.

Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Thursday that North Korea did not want to host the match over fears of bacterial infections in Japan.

North Korean officials the same day told their Japanese counterparts that they could not play host, without saying why.

"They asked us during half-time if we can organise (it) in Japan," Japan football association chief Kozo Tashima said after the teams met in a first qualifier in Tokyo, which the hosts won 1-0.

"I told them it was so sudden and that I cannot give them an immediate yes," Japanese media