Shirtless in Pyongyang! When FC Bengaluru reached North Korea, but their kits didn’t

FC Bengaluru don't have Dennis Rodman in their setup. So, when they landed at a desolate airport in North Korea last month, and their luggage didn't, they were concerned. On September 11, the Indian football club flew to Pyongyang via Beijing for the Asian Football Confederation Cup (AFCC) away leg against North Korea's April 25 Sports Club. Fifteen of their bags, however, failed to arrive on the conveyor belt. The team's kit was in those bags.

"Ours was the last flight to land, and Pyongyang airport was shutting down," said the team's media manager, Kunaal Majgaonkar, who travelled with the side. "Language was a struggle and we're not sure the lady at the baggage counter understood our predicament.

We left without any information about our bags, to our hotel - The Yanggakdo International Hotel - which was a pretty smart structure with all amenities. But not before the airport security went through our bags [the few that arrived] item by item. Phones were scanned thoroughly. That was intimidating."

The bags finally arrived a day before the game. It was one among several unique experiences the team had on the trip.

Overall, however, there were no major shocks.


The team played against North Korea’s April 25 Sports Club last month.

Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri said, "Our club was in constant contact with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and we were assured about our security. As players, it was important." Foreign nat ionals cannot set foot anywhere in Pyongyang without a certified guide. "They [guides] aren't easy to get, but being a visiting team, the home team takes care of it," Chhetri said. "We soon figured out that they don't want you to see things they don't want to show you."

Erik Paartalu, the team's Australian defensive midfielder, said, "It was a surreal experience. Not many people can say that they've been to DPR Korea and under these circumstances. Before we left, we were stepping into the unknown. But once we were there, we were focused on the game."

Winger Udanta Singh, though, said North Korea was not like it is portrayed in the media. He said, "We read so much about the country in the newspapers and on the internet, but once you get there, it's plain to see that most of it is untrue. This trip has taught me to not believe everything I read."

FC Bengaluru held the hosts to a 0-0 draw, creditable considering they were playing in the 150,000-capacity May Day stadium - an intimidating venue in a forbidding nation.