North Korea nearly abandoned the match against China in the Asian Cup

North Korean players refused to play for several minutes during their match against China in the 2026 Women's Asian Cup after the referee approved Wang Shuang's controversial goal.

The match between North Korea and China in the final round of Group B of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup on March 9th at Western Sydney Stadium witnessed a rare incident when North Korean players temporarily refused to play following a controversial referee decision. The incident caused the match to be interrupted for several minutes before it resumed normally.

Before this encounter, both teams had already secured their spots in the quarter-finals. However, the top position in Group B remained undetermined. North Korea only needed a draw to maintain the top spot in the group, while China had to win to move into first place. The match took place under heavy rain, with intense confrontations from the start.

The turning point occurred in the fourth minute of stoppage time in the first half. China was awarded a free kick near midfield; the ball was lofted into the penalty area, allowing Zhang Chengxue to cross, setting up Wang Shuang to tap the ball into the empty net, raising the score to 2-1. Initially, the assistant referee raised the flag for offside, and the goal was not recognized.

However, after consulting VAR, the referee team determined that Zhang Chengxue was not in an offside position before the assist. The main referee, Vietnamese Le Thi Ly, therefore decided to award the goal to China. This decision provoked a strong reaction from the North Korean players, who argued that the situation needed clearer reconsideration.

During the dispute, the North Korean players left their playing positions and stood outside the touchline, refusing to continue the match for about four minutes. In the stands, many spectators cheering for China continuously booed. The referee also issued a yellow card to coach Ri Song-ho due to his intense reaction from the technical area, before whistling to end the first half early.

After the break, the North Korean players returned to the field and the match resumed. Although they managed to score against China late in the second half, Choe Il-son's goal was also denied by VAR due to offside. Ultimately, China secured a 2-1 victory to top Group B, while North Korea fell to second place and will face host Australia in the quarter-finals.