South and North Korea to clash on road to Paris Olympics

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 October 29 in China.

South Korea will be at the World Cup in July-August 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.

Groups A and C, also with four teams in each, will be staged in Australia and Uzbekistan respectively in the second round of qualifying.

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

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