FIFA President: "North Korea Can Also Host the World Cup"

Qatar Moves to Quell Controversy Over World Cup Host Nation Status

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Gianni Infantino, president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), mentioned North Korea in an attempt to quell controversy over Qatar's qualification as the World Cup host country. According to the British newspaper Daily Mail on the 20th (local time), he said, "North Korea can also be a World Cup host country," adding, "Any country can host the World Cup. FIFA wants the world to become one because of it."

President Infantino once visited North Korea to explore the possibility of co-hosting the Women's World Cup with South Korea. However, he did not achieve successful results. Nevertheless, he stated, "If it helps, I can visit more than 100 times. Only participation can bring true change." He continued, "FIFA is a football organization, not a political one," emphasizing, "We want to remain an organization that unites the world and helps people come together."

The reason for mentioning North Korea is due to recent criticism that Qatar lacks the qualifications to host the World Cup. There have been numerous allegations regarding human rights issues of foreign workers and discrimination against homosexuality, which is interpreted as an attempt to defend against such criticisms. President Infantino said, "We live in the same world despite having different religions, histories, and backgrounds," and added, "We must understand that we are different."

North Korea's most recent World Cup finals appearance was at the 2010 South Africa tournament. Their best historical performance was reaching the quarterfinals at the 1966 England tournament.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.