KUALA LUMPUR – South Korea and North Korea’s women’s football teams were drawn in the same group on Thursday in Asian qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The neighbours and rivals will clash on Oct 29 in China.

South Korea will be at the July 20-Aug 20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, but they have never reached the Olympics in women’s football.

North Korea are traditionally stronger than the South in women’s football, but the reclusive country has largely retreated from international sport since the pandemic.

Also in Asian qualifying Group B are Thailand and current Asian champions China, who will host all the games in the group in the second round of qualifying.

Group A consists of Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, Iran and Australia, who will host all the games, while Uzbekistan will stage all of Group C matches against Japan, Vietnam and India.

The three group winners plus the best-ranked runners-up will progress to the final qualifying round.

Two spots from Asia are up for grabs at next year’s Olympics. AFP