An amazing collection of videos featuring footage of football in North Korea – including league matches, training and interviews with fans.

Discover more about how our favourite sport works in the secretive state governed by the infamous Kim Jong-un.

Training at the International Football School in Pyongyang

Young children show off their coordinated skills for the camera.

Kim Jong-un meets the players after watching a game

The supreme leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un is enthusiastically greeted by both teams following the final whistle.

League football in North Korea in 2013

Just a little of much available footage of league games, also featuring interviews with fans that appear to have been filmed mid-match.

North Korea fans interviewed after match against Japan

From the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on November 16 2011:

A football match took place at Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang on Tuesday between the DPRK and Japan belonging to Group C of the Asian regional third-stage preliminaries for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The DPRK won the match 1:0.

Not only spectators but also people outside the stadium were all drunk with joy over the results of the match.

When the DPRK footballers came out of the stadium, the crowd congratulated them on their success.

North Korea vs Mongolia junior match during Mongolian president’s state visit

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj’s YouTube channel says:

In the frame of the State Visit of the President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj to DPRK, a friendly junior soccer match was organized between Mongolia and DPRK on October 30. A mixed soccer match took place at the Kim Il-sung Stadium. The Kim Il-sung Stadium with a capacity of 50,000 was filled.

President Elbegdorj went down the football field to cheer and shook hands with football players and congratulated. President Elbegdorj becomes the first foreign Head of State ever to step on the field of the Kim Il-sung Stadium.

President of Mongolia together with Kim Yong-nam, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of DPRK enjoyed the match. During the match, President Elbegdorj received the President of the DPRK Football Federation.

Junior football teams “Freedom” and “Peace” played within 50 minutes competitive match, where “Freedom” team won over its opponent by 2:1.

North Korean football awards ceremony

On May 14th 2014 KCNA said:

Men’s soccer games of the second round of the premier league of the Mangyongdae Prize Sports Games ended.

Finals between the April 25 Team and Amnokgang Team took place at the Kim Il Sung Stadium on Wednesday.

The April 25 Team took the first place and Amnokgang and Sobaeksu teams second and third places in the total standings of the men’s soccer games of the premier league of the Mangyongdae Prize Sports Games.

North Korea vs South Korea workers’ match in 2015

From New China TV‘s video description:

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) jointly held a workers’ football match Thursday at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, a move aimed to improve inter-Korean relations and strengthen national solidarity.

South Korea’s Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions Kim Tong-man said in his speech that the football match will mark a great stride forward for the workers in realizing their will for peaceful reunification enshrined in the June 15 joint declaration and Oct. 4 declaration.

The digital screen inside the stadium read “Compatriot workers from the South, you are welcome to Pyongyang to take part in the North-South workers’ football match for national reunification!” The whole stadium burst into thunderous applause when football players from the two Koreas stepped into the field hand in hand, waving to the spectators.

Tens of thousands of people watched the game. From time to time, spectators chanted “reunification of our fatherland,” “national reconciliation” and “June 15th reunification.” The South Korean players wore white uniforms with a pattern of the whole Korean Peninsula on their shirts.

The 162-strong South Korean delegation flew to Pyongyang on Wednesday and will return on Saturday. The last time the two Koreas hosted such a football match was in 2007 in Changwon of South Korea.

Tourists film controversial penalty incident during match in Pyongyang

The tourists say:

Football Match between Pyongyang City Sports Club and Amrokgang on April, 14th 2013 at Kim Il Sung Stadium. Pyongyang (blue) wins 2:1 (1:0).

The equalizing penalty for Amrokgang was indeed controversial.

After the crowd demanded a clearly justified penalty, the referee consulted his assistant and revised his original decision to only give a free kick.

Guus Hiddink goes to North Korea

Chelsea’s interim manager Guus Hiddink, who was in charge of South Korea at the 2002 World Cup, visited the Pyongyang International Football School in November of last year.

The former coach of Netherlands’ national soccer team, Hiddink Guus on Saturday (November 7) visited schoolchildren in Pyongyang before leaving the country after his three-day visit, North Korean state media reported.

Footage provided by North Korea’s state news agency, KCNA, which cannot be verified by Reuters, showed Guus speaking to children playing soccer at Pyongyang International Football School and signing jerseys.

KCNA said his visit was at the invitation of North Korea’s Football Association and that Hiddink spoke to officials about the development of the sport.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said he reached an agreement to open a futsal stadium in Pyongyang.