HONG KONG, March 19 — Son Heung-min and South Korea must move on from their turbulent Asian Cup when they return to World Cup qualifying Thursday, while Japan face North Korea in a double-header that sees them travel to Pyongyang.

Asian football is back on the road to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a month after Qatar retained the continental crown on home soil with a 3-1 victory over Jordan.