The JFA said FIFA‘s Disciplinary Committee had informed them that the match had been forfeited, which means Japan is guaranteed a top-two finish in their group which also includes Syria and Myanmar.
With 12 points after four games, Japan have qualified for the third round of World Cup qualifiers as well as the 2027 Asian Cup. Japan beat North Korea 1-0 in another qualifying match in Tokyo this month.
North Korea, which has no formal diplomatic relations with Tokyo, decided not to stage the match in Pyongyang over worries about infectious diseases in Japan and had asked for the game to be moved to a neutral venue.
FIFA said the game would not be rescheduled due to the lack of dates on the fixture calendar.
Credit: Reuters
