North Korean womens team set to play rare football match in South Korea

North Korea’s Naegohyang FC to Play Suwon FC in Asian Champions League Semifinals

A North Korean women’s football club, Naegohyang FC, will compete against Suwon FC from South Korea on May 20 in the semifinals of the Women’s Asian Champions League. The match is scheduled to take place at the Suwon Sports Complex in Seoul.

According to the Ministry of Unification, a delegation consisting of 27 players and 12 club staff will travel to South Korea on May 17. They will arrive at Incheon airport on an Air China flight from Beijing. The team’s participation marks the first time a North Korean sports team has played in South Korea since 2018.

Naegohyang FC, founded in 2012, boasts a squad comprising national team-level players. The team has achieved success in recent years, including winning multiple international titles at the youth level. Their most recent victory came in November last year, when they defeated the Netherlands 3-0 in the final of the U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The winner of the match will advance to the final against either Melbourne City from Australia or Tokyo Verdy Beleza from Japan on May 23. The losing team is expected to return home on May 21, with no third-place playoff scheduled.

Source: Al Jazeera