North Korean Women's Club to Play First Match in South Korea at AFC Champions League Semifinal

Asia's football governing body has expressed its hope to keep politics and sport separate when women's clubs from the two Koreas meet in a semifinal match later this month. The Korea Football Association received a letter from the Asian Football Confederation on May 7, 2026, regarding preparations for the upcoming showdown. m.

On May 20 at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul, Yonhap reported. Naegohyang recently confirmed their participation in the competition. The final of the AFC Women's Champions League is scheduled for May 23, 2026 in Suwon.

It will be the first trip to South Korea ever by a North Korean women's professional football club. The Asian Football Confederation has been fielding inquiries from government agencies and media outlets regarding Naegohyang's participation.

Instead the Asian Football Confederation designated the Korea Football Association as the only communication channel to handle the Suwon competition. The Asian Football Confederation wrote that while it understands the unique nature of inter-Korean relations, it wants to keep the focus on football and make the competition a purely sporting event free from external political situations.

The Asian Football Confederation expressed hope to keep politics and sport separate for the AFC Women's Champions League semifinal between Suwon FC Women and Naegohyang Women's FC.

Naegohyang players and staff are scheduled to arrive in South Korea via Beijing on May 17, 2026. The article was written by Yoo Jee-ho and published by Yonhap on May 8, 2026.