'Secured 700 million won' North Korea's Naegohyang, 'Double the prize money' if they win the final... Aiming for the championship while being carried by joint support groups

*This content was translated by AI.

North Korea's Naegohyang Women's Football Team is challenging for the 2025-2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Champions League (AWCL) title. Their opponent is Tokyo Verdy Beleza of Japan. The championship prize money for this single-match final is a staggering 1 million dollars (approximately 1.52 billion won).

Naegohyang, led by head coach Lee Yu-il, will face Tokyo Verdy in the tournament final (single match) at Suwon Sports Complex at 2 p.m. on the 23rd. Earlier in the semifinals, Naegohyang defeated Suwon FC Women 2-1, while Tokyo Verdy overcame Melbourne City (Australia) 3-1, with both teams advancing to the final.

The match against Suwon FC Women was truly a nail-biter. Naegohyang struggled in terms of gameplay and even conceded the first goal, but they managed to turn the tide by scoring consecutive goals. They barely secured their spot in the final thanks to a stroke of luck: a missed penalty kick by Ji So-yun of Suwon FC Women in the closing moments of the game.

However, they have encountered a formidable opponent in the final. Tokyo Verdy participated in this tournament as the champion of the 2024-2025 Japanese WE League. They had already faced each other during the group stage held in Myanmar, where Naegohyang suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat. They were significantly outmatched in ball possession, 40.1% to 59.9%, and were overwhelmingly dominated in shots on target, 3 to 17. From Naegohyang's perspective, the prevailing assessment is that challenging for the championship based on objective strength will not be easy.

Nevertheless, there is a difference from the neutral-group stage matches held last time, as this time they are being carried by "cheers." On the day of the match, approximately 2,000 members of a joint support group, formed with the intention of cheering for both Suwon FC Women and Naegohyang, are expected to be present. These groups had previously declared that they would cheer for whichever team reaches the final between Suwon FC Women and Naegohyang.

During the semifinals, there were repeated criticisms that the joint support group was, in fact, a Naegohyang support group. As a result, conditions have been created for Naegohyang to be openly cheered under the name of a joint support group in this final. Ironically, for the Naegohyang Football Club, they are now receiving support in South Korea, which has been declared an "hostile nation."

It is also a stage where they aim for "practical benefits" in the form of not only glory but also a substantial championship prize. Naegohyang has already secured a runner-up prize of 500,000 dollars (approximately 760 million won) by reaching the final. If they defeat Tokyo, the prize money will double to 1 million dollars. There was a persuasive analysis that the background for Naegohyang's previously uncertain visit to South Korea being confirmed was not due to a fine for non-participation in the tournament, but rather a focus on the "prize money."

Head coach Lee Yu-il said at the press conference the day before the match, "Since we have reached the final, we must do our best. Winning is the best goal for both teams. The final match can be a good opportunity for our team to develop into a stronger and better team. It is a goal as important as winning. We will do our best within the limits allowed by the match regulations." Kim Kyung-myeong added, "We have accumulated a significant amount of experience through the matches so far. In this match, we will use our strong mental strength to definitely become the victors."

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*This content was translated by AI.