'Middle Schooler Youngest Join' U17 Yeo Ja (CEO) (여자대표) Team, Final Roster for Asian Cup Confirmed... Departure to China Scheduled

*This content was translated by AI.

The final roster for the Taeguk Warriors, set to face Asian powerhouses on Chinese soil, has been confirmed.

The Korea Football Association announced the roster for the women's U-17 national team that will participate in the 2026 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup via a press release on the 23rd.

This AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup will be held in Suzhou, China, from May 1 to 17. South Korea will face the Philippines in the opening match on the 2nd, play against Chinese Taipei on the 5th, and conclude the group stage with a match against North Korea on the 8th. According to the association, the national team will conduct a final check by playing a friendly match against one of the participating countries immediately upon arrival in China.

The women's U-17 team, led by head coach Lee Da-young, has a final roster of 23 players. The squad is primarily composed of players born in 2009 and 2010, with one player born in 2011 included.

The youngest player is a middle school student. Im Ji-hye (Ulsan Hyundai Cheongun Middle School), born in 2011, is the only middle schooler to join the Seon Su-ro (CEO) (선수로 대표) team. According to the Football Association, Im Ji-hye is a player known for her bold breakthroughs and excellent scoring ability.

In addition, several players who gained international experience at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup held in Morocco last year, including Han Hee-hee (Pohang Girls' High School) and Choi Se-eun (Gyeongnam Robot High School), were also selected.

The women's U-17 national team, having finalized its roster, will depart for China via Incheon International Airport on the morning of the 24th. The team will face the Philippines, Chinese Taipei, and North Korea in Group C at this Asian Cup.

A total of 12 countries, including South Korea, will participate in the Women's U-17 Asian Cup. South Korea, North Korea, Japan, and China, which represented Asia at the U-17 Women's World Cup last year, automatically qualified for the main tournament, while the remaining eight countries joined after going through qualifiers.

FIFA has decided to hold the men's and women's U-17 World Cups annually starting in 2025. Consequently, the U-17 Asian Cup, which also serves as the qualifier for the U-17 World Cup, will be held every year. The U-17 Women's Asian Cup features a group stage with three groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group and the two best third-place teams advance to the quarterfinals to compete for the championship.

The four teams that reach the semifinals will advance to the U-17 Women's World Cup. South Korea has won the Women's U-17 Asian Cup once (2009). In the most recent tournament, the 2024 Indonesia edition, the team finished in third place.

- GK (3): Ki Geum (Chungbuk Yesung Girls' High School), Go Ha-eun (Gyeongnam Robot High School), Lee Seung-a (Ulsan Hyundai High School)

- DF (8): Park Na-young, Chu Ji-yeon, Gu Se-young, Jeon Ah-hyun, Kang Gyu-eun (all Ulsan Hyundai High School), Woo Seo-yeon, Kang Ji-yoon (both Gyeongnam Robot High School), Kim Ji-eun (Pohang Girls' High School)

- MF (4): Choi Se-eun (Gyeongnam Robot High School), Jang Han-na (Jeonnam Gwangyang Girls' High School), Go Ji-eun (Ulsan Hyundai High School), Han Hee-hee (Pohang Girls' High School)

- FW (8): Jang Ye-jin, Kim Hee-na, Jo An, Kim Hee-jin, Kim Min-seo (all Ulsan Hyundai High School), Kwon Hyo-ri, Baek Seo-young (both Gyeongnam Robot High School), Im Ji-hye (Ulsan Hyundai Cheongun Middle School)

- Match 1: South Korea vs. Philippines (May 2, 16:30)

- Match 2: Chinese Taipei vs. South Korea (May 5, 16:30)

- Match 3: North Korea vs. South Korea (May 8, 20:30)

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*This content was translated by AI.