North Korea has made a triumphant return to the Women's World Cup, qualifying for the first time since a 2011 doping scandal that sidelined them from top-tier international tournaments. Their qualification comes alongside the Philippines, who also secured their spot for next year's tournament in Brazil.

Hong Song Ok shone brightly for North Korea, scoring a hat-trick in a decisive 4-0 victory over Taiwan during the Women’s Asian Cup play-offs. This win signifies a significant comeback for a nation whose previous World Cup appearance was overshadowed by controversy.

In 2011, five North Korean players tested positive for steroids, with officials controversially attributing the results to traditional medicines derived from deer glands. After two players were caught during the tournament, FIFA tested the rest of the squad, confirming three additional positive results. The fallout led to a ban that caused North Korea to miss the 2014 Asian Cup, fail to qualify for 2018, and skip the 2022 tournament due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Head coach Ri Song Ho leads a young squad that includes players he guided to the Under-20 Women’s World Cup title in 2024. The team narrowly lost to host Australia in the Asian Cup quarter-finals after finishing second in their group to 2022 champions China.

Meanwhile, the Philippines celebrated their second consecutive World Cup qualification with a 2-0 win against Uzbekistan. After a goalless first half, Angela Beard broke the deadlock shortly after the interval, and Jaclyn Sawicki sealed the victory with a header, igniting jubilant celebrations.

Defender Hali Long highlighted the achievement, stating:

It’s another step in the right direction for Philippines women’s football, and just shows that we belong on the world stage.

These play-off victories determined the confederation's fifth and sixth qualifiers for the World Cup, with Australia, Japan, China, and South Korea already securing their places as quarter-final winners. Taiwan and Uzbekistan still have a chance to qualify for the global event via inter-confederation play-offs. The Women's Asian Cup will conclude on Saturday with a final between Australia and two-time champions Japan.