Archive · 11 Jan 2026
North Korea Dominates Youth Women's Soccer
North Korea's young women's soccer team is really good.
They've won a lot of big tournaments, like the U-17 World Cup.
The girls train very hard from a young age, and their success is a big deal in North Korea.
The government uses their wins to show off and make people proud.
The players get special rewards, like extra food and meeting the leader.
But it's not easy.
Many people in North Korea don't have enough to eat, and the girls have to work very hard to be the best.
Other teams find it tough to beat them because they are so strong and don't give up easily.
North Korea's U-17 women's soccer team dominates international youth competitions, winning the 17-and-under FIFA competition four times.
The team's success is attributed to intense training and mental toughness, with players displaying unmatched stamina and physical aggression.
Victories are used for propaganda, portraying them as wins for North Korean socialism and the regime.
Players receive significant benefits, including extra rations, apartments in Pyongyang, and the opportunity to meet the leader.
North Korea faces logistical challenges, including undernourishment and limited resources, which shrink the potential pool of players.
- Who
- North Korea's U-17 Women's Soccer Team
- What
- Dominating youth women's soccer with unmatched stamina and mental toughness
- When
- Recent victories, including the 2024 tournament
- Where
- International tournaments, primarily in youth competitions
- Why
- To gain propaganda victories, international prestige, and drive nationalism
- Team
- North Korea U-17 Women's Soccer Team
- Achievement
- Four-time 17-and-under FIFA champions
- Current Title
- Women's U-20 World Cup
- Training Regimen
- Arduous, starting from a young age
- Benefits for Players
- Extra rations, apartments in Pyongyang, meeting the leader
- Logistical Challenges
- Undernourishment, limited resources
- Propaganda Use
- Victories portrayed as wins for North Korean socialism
- Defector's Insight
- Training equated to a battlefield