North Korea women's team visits Korea → Japan also highly interested: "First time since 2014 Asian Games; could meet in the final"

*This content was translated by AI.

Japanese media also expressed interest in the news of the North Korea women's football team's visit to Korea.

On the 4th, Japanese outlet Gekisaka reported, "The North Korea women's football team, 'Naegokhwa Women's Football Club 2025–2026', has confirmed its visit to Korea to compete in the AFC Women's Champions League (AWCL) semifinals."

On the same day, the Korea Football Association (KFA) announced, "Naegokhwa Women's Football Club has expressed its intention to participate in the AWCL semifinals to be held in Suwon." According to the KFA, the AFC informed the association on the 1st that Naegokhwa Women's Football Club had completed the submission of its roster, schedule, and required documents for participation in the tournament.

This marks the first time in many years that a North Korean sports team has visited Korea. It has been eight years since the 4.25 Sports Troupe and Yeomyeong Sports Troupe youth teams (U15) participated in the 2018 October Arisports Cup International Football Tournament, held in Chuncheon and Inje, Gangwon Province.

In the case of women's teams, the North Korea Yeo Ja-chuk-gu (CEO) team participated in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. However, this is the first time a club team has visited.

Gekisaka noted, "Due to deteriorated inter-Korean relations and the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first visit by a North Korean sports team since 2018. In football, it is the first time since the 2014 Asian Games. Naegokhwa Women's Football Club is scheduled to enter Korea via Beijing and Incheon International Airport."

The KFA explained, "Naegokhwa Women's Football Club consists of 27 players and 12 staff members and plans to proceed with the visit application procedures with the government."

In this AWCL, Korea's Suwon FC Women, Naegokhwa Women's Football Club, Australia's Melbourne City, and Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza have advanced to the semifinals and will compete for the championship. A North-South Korea matchup will take place in the semifinals. On the 20th, Suwon FC and Naegokhwa Women's Football Club will face each other at Suwon Sports Complex.

On the same day, in the other semifinal, Tokyo Verdy Beleza will face Melbourne City. Both semifinal matches will be single-leg ties. The final will be held on the 23rd at the same venue.

Meanwhile, Naegokhwa Women's Football Club was founded in 2012 with Pyongyang as its home base. It is considered one of North Korea's strongest teams. It is a corporate sports team sponsored by the 'Naegokhwa' enterprise. The team has won the North Korea women's top division league multiple times. Currently, former North Korea Yeo Ja-chuk-gu (CEO) team coach Ri Yu-il is in charge.

In this tournament, Naegokhwa Women's Football Club recorded two wins and one loss in the group stage (second place in Group C) and advanced to the knockout stage. In the quarterfinals, they defeated Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) 3-0. At that time, Naegokhwa Women's Football Club did not host home matches and played in Laos, a neutral location.

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*This content was translated by AI.