North Korea's women's football team began its 2026 Asian Games campaign in emphatic fashion on Monday, overwhelming Bangladesh 10-0 in their Group F opener at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan.
The three-time Asian Games champions produced a dominant performance from the opening whistle, scoring seven goals before half-time before adding three more after the break to complete a one-sided victory.
North Korea took control just five minutes into the match when Jeon Ryong-jong opened the scoring. She struck again five minutes later, while Hwang Yu-yeong added another in the 12th minute to put Bangladesh under severe pressure.
Chae Eun-young then scored twice before Kim Kyong-yong added two more goals in the closing stages of the first half. North Korea entered the interval with a 7-0 advantage.
Bangladesh were unable to find a response after the restart. Ri Song-a scored in the sixth minute of the second half, Jong Gum added another in the 15th minute and Han Jin-hong completed the scoring in the 45th minute of the second half.
The result marked Bangladesh's heaviest defeat in women's international football, surpassing their previous record of a 9-0 loss to Thailand in 2013. Bangladesh were also unable to register a shot during the match, underlining the extent of North Korea's dominance.
The result was not entirely unexpected given the gulf between the two teams. North Korea entered the tournament as one of the leading contenders for the women's football gold medal and were ranked 11th in the FIFA women's world rankings, while Bangladesh were ranked 107th.
The two sides had also met earlier in 2026 at the AFC Women's Asian Cup, where North Korea recorded a 5-0 victory. Bangladesh had struggled throughout that tournament, losing all three of their group matches and failing to score, while North Korea advanced from the group stage.
For North Korea, the emphatic opening victory immediately strengthens their position among the leading contenders in the Asian Games women's football competition. Their next group match is against Myanmar on September 17, before they face South Korea in a highly anticipated final group fixture on September 21.
Bangladesh will have to recover quickly from the heavy defeat, with South Korea next on their schedule. Their final group match against Myanmar could prove particularly important as they attempt to remain competitive in the tournament.
The result also illustrates the considerable gap Bangladesh still faces against Asia's established women's football powers. The team has nevertheless made progress by qualifying for the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup and securing its place at the Asian Games, making the experience an important test against one of the continent's strongest sides.
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