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North Korea welcomed home its national football team with garlands, bouquets and a banquet after their "proud sons of the nation" secured a berth at their first World Cup finals since 1966.

North Korean officials greeted the players at the airport while people thronged the streets of the capital Pyongyang to mark the players' return, the North's official KCNA news agency reported.

The North's 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on Wednesday ensured they will play at next year's World Cup finals in South Africa as one of Asia's four automatic qualifiers.

Neighbours South Korea also qualified for the tournament, which means the two Koreas will play at the same World Cup finals for the first time.

"Sportspersons congratulated players and coaches on their success, putting garlands around their necks and presenting them with bouquets," KCNA said.

"A lot of Pyongyangites turned out to streets of the city from the entrance to Ryonmot-dong to Changjon Crossroads and enthusiastically welcomed the proud sons of the nation."

A banquet was later held in the players' honour, the KCNA said.

North Korea's last appearance at a World Cup finals, the 1966 tournament in England, is still regarded as one of soccer's great fairytales.

Beaten 3-0 by the then USSR and held to a 1-1 draw with Chile in their first two group games, the North then produced a stunning 1-0 win over Italy to reach the quarter-finals.

North Korea looked to be on their way to a place in the last four but squandered a 3-0 lead against Portugal and eventually lost 5-3.

Neighbours South Korea, who will be making their seventh consecutive appearance at the World Cup, are the only Asian team to have bettered the North's record, reaching the semi-finals on home soil in 2002.

The Korean peninsula has been divided since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a ceasefire.

Reuters