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China vs North Korea head-to-head record

China wins
12
Draws
7
North Korea wins
8

27 meetings, 1956 to 2017Goals: China 33, North Korea 26

China and North Korea have met 27 times since 1956. China have won 12, North Korea 8, and 7 matches ended level. They last met on 16 December 2017, when the match ended 1–1 in the EAFF Championship.

The 27 meetings have produced 59 goals, 2.19 per game. The biggest win is North Korea’s 3–0 in a friendly in 1965. China are unbeaten in the last 16 meetings (9 wins, 7 draws).

Who has won more, China or North Korea?

All matches27 matches

12 China7 drawsNorth Korea 8

Competitive21 matches

10 China6 drawsNorth Korea 5

Friendlies6 matches

2 China1 drawNorth Korea 3

Key numbers

Goals
China 33, North Korea 262.19 per game
First meeting
China 0–1 North KoreaFriendly, 7 Oct 1956
Most recent
China 1–1 North KoreaEAFF Championship, 16 Dec 2017
China’s biggest win
North Korea 2–4 ChinaWorld Cup qualifying, 4 Jan 1981
North Korea’s biggest win
North Korea 3–0 ChinaFriendly, 4 Aug 1965
Most goals in a meeting
North Korea 2–4 ChinaWorld Cup qualifying, 4 Jan 1981
Current run
China unbeaten in 16
TFN Elo rating now
China 1482 (107th), North Korea 1481 (109th)How the rating works

Last five meetings

  1. China1North Korea1

    EAFF Championship

    Chōfu, Japan (neutral)

  2. China2North Korea0

    EAFF Championship

    Wuhan, China

  3. China2North Korea1

    AFC Asian Cup

    Canberra, Australia (neutral)

  4. China2North Korea0

    Friendly

    Guiyang, China

  5. China3North Korea1

    EAFF Championship

    Chongqing, China

Who has had the upper hand over time?

The line climbs with every China win and drops with every North Korea win, so its height shows who has won more meetings up to that point.

Above the line: China have won more Below: North Korea have won more
7 October 1956: China 0–1 North Korea (Friendly). North Korea +125 October 1959: North Korea 1–0 China (Friendly). North Korea +24 October 1960: China 1–0 North Korea (Friendly). North Korea +14 August 1965: North Korea 3–0 China (Friendly). North Korea +23 December 1966: China 1–2 North Korea (GaNEFo). North Korea +32 September 1974: North Korea 2–0 China (Asian Games). North Korea +415 June 1975: China 1–0 North Korea (AFC Asian Cup qualifying). North Korea +326 June 1975: North Korea 2–0 China (AFC Asian Cup qualifying). North Korea +418 September 1980: North Korea 2–1 China (AFC Asian Cup). North Korea +54 January 1981: North Korea 2–4 China (World Cup qualifying). North Korea +427 November 1982: North Korea 1–0 China (Asian Games). North Korea +524 August 1986: China 0–0 North Korea (Merlion Cup). North Korea +56 September 1986: China 2–1 North Korea (Merlion Cup). North Korea +48 May 1988: China 0–0 North Korea (Friendly). North Korea +44 February 1989: China 3–1 North Korea (King's Cup). North Korea +324 October 1989: North Korea 0–1 China (World Cup qualifying). North Korea +227 July 1990: China 2–0 North Korea (Dynasty Cup). North Korea +122 August 1992: China 2–2 North Korea (Dynasty Cup). North Korea +129 August 1992: China 0–0 North Korea (Dynasty Cup). North Korea +114 May 1993: China 1–1 North Korea (East Asian Games). North Korea +13 August 2001: China 2–2 North Korea (Four Nations Tournament). North Korea +17 August 2005: China 2–0 North Korea (EAFF Championship). Level23 February 2008: China 3–1 North Korea (EAFF Championship). China +18 June 2011: China 2–0 North Korea (Friendly). China +218 January 2015: China 2–1 North Korea (AFC Asian Cup). China +35 August 2015: China 2–0 North Korea (EAFF Championship). China +416 December 2017: China 1–1 North Korea (EAFF Championship). China +4Level
China lead by 4 wins after the latest meeting. The biggest lead was 5, held by North Korea from 18 September 1980.

Every meeting on one timeline

Larger dots mark bigger winning margins. Hover a dot for the result.

Home, away and neutral

In China's home games

10 matches

451

ChinaDrawsNorth Korea

In North Korea's home games

2 matches

002

ChinaDrawsNorth Korea

At neutral venues

15 matches

825

ChinaDrawsNorth Korea

Record by competition

Record by competition
CompetitionPlayedChinaDrawsNorth KoreaGoals
Friendly62133–5
EAFF Championship43108–2
Dynasty Cup31204–2
AFC Asian Cup21013–3
AFC Asian Cup qualifying21011–2
Asian Games20020–3
World Cup qualifying22005–2
Merlion Cup21102–1
East Asian Games10101–1
Four Nations Tournament10102–2
GaNEFo10011–2
King's Cup11003–1

Meetings by decade

China wins Draws North Korea wins
Meetings by decade
DecadeResultsPlayedGoals
1950s22
1960s37
1970s35
1980s818
1990s48
2000s310
2010s49

Longest runs

Longest runs
Longest run ofChinaNorth Korea
Wins in a row52005 to 201531965 to 1974
Unbeaten meetings161986 to 201741992 to 2001

The longest run of draws is 4, from 22 August 1992 to 3 August 2001.

Top scorers in China vs North Korea

  1. 1Huang XiangdongChina2
  2. 2Sun KeChina2

Scorer records exist for 4 of the 27 meetings, mostly competitive matches. Own goals are not credited to a player.

Penalty shootouts

  • China 2–2 North KoreaFour Nations Tournament, 3 Aug 2001North Korea won on penalties

Questions answered

How many times have China and North Korea played each other?

27 times, starting on 7 October 1956. 21 of those meetings were competitive and 6 were friendlies.

Who has won more matches between China and North Korea?

China, with 12 wins to 8. 7 matches ended level.

What is the biggest win in China vs North Korea?

North Korea’s 3–0 win in a friendly on 4 August 1965 in Pyongyang.

When did China and North Korea last play?

On 16 December 2017 in Chōfu, when the match ended 1–1 in the EAFF Championship.

What is the competitive record between China and North Korea?

In 21 competitive matches, China have 10 wins, North Korea have 5, and 6 ended level.

Have China and North Korea met in a penalty shootout?

Yes, once. Most recently in the Four Nations Tournament on 3 August 2001, when North Korea won the shootout after a 2–2 draw.

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Every China vs North Korea result

Show
Every China vs North Korea result
DateHomeScoreAwayCompetitionVenue
China1–1North KoreaEAFF ChampionshipChōfu, Japan (neutral)
China2–0North KoreaEAFF ChampionshipWuhan, China
China2–1North KoreaAFC Asian CupCanberra, Australia (neutral)
China2–0North KoreaFriendlyGuiyang, China
China3–1North KoreaEAFF ChampionshipChongqing, China
China2–0North KoreaEAFF ChampionshipDaegu, South Korea (neutral)
China2–2North Korea on pensNorth KoreaFour Nations TournamentShanghai, China
China1–1North KoreaEast Asian GamesShanghai, China
China0–0North KoreaDynasty CupXiaogan, China
China2–2North KoreaDynasty CupBeijing, China
China2–0North KoreaDynasty CupBeijing, China
North Korea0–1ChinaWorld Cup qualifyingSingapore, Singapore (neutral)
China3–1North KoreaKing's CupBangkok, Thailand (neutral)
China0–0North KoreaFriendlyHangzhou, China
China2–1North KoreaMerlion CupKallang, Singapore (neutral)
China0–0North KoreaMerlion CupKallang, Singapore (neutral)
North Korea1–0ChinaAsian GamesNew Delhi, India (neutral)
North Korea2–4ChinaWorld Cup qualifyingSo Kon Po, Hong Kong (neutral)
North Korea2–1ChinaAFC Asian CupKuwait City, Kuwait (neutral)
North Korea2–0ChinaAFC Asian Cup qualifyingSo Kon Po, Hong Kong (neutral)
China1–0North KoreaAFC Asian Cup qualifyingSo Kon Po, Hong Kong (neutral)
North Korea2–0ChinaAsian GamesTehran, Iran (neutral)
China1–2North KoreaGaNEFoPhnom Penh, Cambodia (neutral)
North Korea3–0ChinaFriendlyPyongyang, North Korea
China1–0North KoreaFriendlyHanoi, North Vietnam (neutral)
North Korea1–0ChinaFriendlyPyongyang, North Korea
China0–1North KoreaFriendlyBeijing, China

Recent form

China

  1. Lv TajikistanFriendly0–1Tue 6 Oct 2026
  2. Lv PalestineFriendly0–5Fri 2 Oct 2026
  3. Lv New ZealandFriendly0–3Sun 27 Sept 2026
  4. Wv MaldivesFriendly3–0Thu 24 Sept 2026
  5. Dv ThailandFriendly0–0Tue 9 Jun 2026

North Korea

  1. Lat IranWorld Cup qualifying0–3Tue 10 Jun 2025
  2. Dv KyrgyzstanWorld Cup qualifying2–2Thu 5 Jun 2025
  3. Lv UAEWorld Cup qualifying1–2Tue 25 Mar 2025
  4. Lat QatarWorld Cup qualifying1–5Thu 20 Mar 2025
  5. Dat JordanFriendly1–1Fri 14 Mar 2025

Results through 6 October 2026. Page updated 3 November 2026. How these numbers are calculated.