The Asian Football Confederation will send a six-man team on an inspection visit to North Korea ahead of the final-round World Cup qualifiers, AFC general secretary Peter Velappan said Sunday.
Velappan said the AFC party will travel to Pyongyang to meet with North Korean soccer officials and inspect the stadium, accommodations, transport and other facilities on a three-day visit from Jan. 24.
He added that the AFC also plans to arrange for Japan Football Association officials to visit the country for a separate inspection tour as early as next month.
Japan meets North Korea at home in its first match of the final phase of qualifiers on Feb. 9, with the return leg scheduled for June 8 in Pyongyang.