OSAKA, Japan — North Korea is set to launch its 2026 Asian Games campaign with a highly anticipated women’s football clash against Bangladesh on September 14, as one of Asia’s strongest women’s teams begins its pursuit of another continental gold medal.
The Group F opener will be played at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, with North Korea entering the tournament as one of the leading contenders for the women’s football title. The match also marks an important moment for Bangladesh, which is making its second appearance in the Asian Games women’s football competition.
North Korea begins its gold-medal chase
North Korea’s women’s football team has established itself as a major force in Asian football, and expectations are high as the team arrives in Japan.
The squad is led by captain Kim Kyong-yong, who plays for Naegohyang Women’s FC, the club that won the AFC Women’s Champions League. That experience gives North Korea a formidable foundation as it begins its Asian Games campaign.
North Korea’s women’s team will play three Group F matches:
- Sept. 14: North Korea vs. Bangladesh
- Sept. 17: North Korea vs. Myanmar
- Sept. 21: North Korea vs. South Korea
All three matches are scheduled for Nagai Stadium in Osaka.
The group is particularly intriguing because it brings together North Korea, South Korea, Bangladesh and Myanmar, creating one of the tournament’s closely watched pools.
Bangladesh faces an Asian powerhouse
For Bangladesh, the opening match represents an enormous challenge.
The Bengal Tigresses qualified for the final round of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup earlier this year, a major milestone for the country’s women’s football program. However, the team has also suffered an injury setback before its Asian Games opener, with defender Nabiran Khatun ruled out after sustaining a knee injury during a practice match in China.
Head coach Peter Butler has emphasized the team’s fighting mentality ahead of a difficult group-stage campaign.
After North Korea, Bangladesh will face South Korea before completing its group schedule against Myanmar.
A tournament packed with Asian football powerhouses
The women’s football competition at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games features 12 teams divided into three groups.
Group E consists of Japan, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam and Thailand, while Group F contains South Korea, North Korea, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Group G features China, the Philippines, Uzbekistan and Hong Kong, China.
The women’s tournament runs from September 14 through October 2, with matches being played in several Japanese cities.
Japan enters the competition as the defending women’s Asian Games champion after winning gold at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
North Korea brings a larger medal mission to Japan
Football is only one part of North Korea’s broader Asian Games campaign.
North Korea has sent a 188-member delegation, including 107 athletes, to the Aichi-Nagoya Games. It is the country’s first participation in an Asian Games held on Japanese soil.
Pyongyang is also targeting a stronger overall medal haul than its performance at the 2023 Asian Games in China, where it collected 11 gold, 18 silver and 10 bronze medals.
Among the country’s other medal hopefuls are women’s boxer Pang Chol-mi, a bronze medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympics, women’s weightlifter Song Kuk-hyang and gymnast An Chang-ok.
The bigger storyline: North Korea vs. South Korea
While the opening match against Bangladesh is North Korea’s immediate focus, the team’s September 21 meeting with South Korea could become one of the most anticipated games of the group stage.
Both Korean teams are among the region’s established football powers, making their eventual Group F encounter significant for both sporting and regional interest.
For North Korea, however, the immediate task is clear: start strongly against Bangladesh, secure points early and build momentum toward the knockout rounds.
The Asian Games have officially begun for North Korea’s football campaign.
And with a heavyweight showdown against South Korea waiting later in the group, the first match could set the tone for everything that follows.
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