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Naegohyang Women’s Team Plays Historic South Korean Semifinal

5/4/2026

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Summary

Naegohyang Semifinal

Naegohyang Women’s Football Club will play Suwon FC Women in a semifinal in Suwon on 20 May, 7 p.m.
A 39-person delegation, 27 players and 12 staff, arrives at Incheon Airport on 17 May.
It is the first North Korean team in South Korea since 2018 and first women’s club since 2014.
The winner advances to the final on 23 May against Melbourne City or Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
The loser returns home on 21 May.

Summary

Naegokhwa Semifinal

The semifinal marks the first official inter-Korean club-level match in an AFC tournament.
The AFC Women’s Champions League, launched in 2025, features 12 champions and a $1 million prize (about 1.51 billion won).
Naegokhwa Women’s Football Club, founded in 2012 in Pyongyang, is a corporate team with multiple domestic titles.
The knockout phase will be held in Suwon on 20 May, with the final on 23 May.

History

Historical Context

In 1882 British sailors introduced football to Korea, and the first senior match was played in Seoul in 1905, establishing a long-standing Seoul-Pyongyang rivalry. After the 2018 inter-Korean friendly between North’s April 25 Sports Club and South’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings, the May 2025 Naegohyang Women’s semifinal in Suwon marked the first official inter-Korean club clash in an AFC tournament, reviving cross-border sport ties.

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Naegohyang Semifinal

Naegohyang Women’s Football Club will play Suwon FC Women in a semifinal in Suwon on 20 May, 7 p.m.
A 39-person delegation, 27 players and 12 staff, arrives at Incheon Airport on 17 May.
It is the first North Korean team in South Korea since 2018 and first women’s club since 2014.
The winner advances to the final on 23 May against Melbourne City or Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
The loser returns home on 21 May.

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