Suwon: A North Korean women's football club clinched the AFC Women's Champions League title after defeating a Japanese club 1-0 in the final held in Suwon, South Korea. According to Thai News Agency, the AFC Women's Champions League final was contested at a football stadium in Suwon between Naegohyang Women's FC from North Korea and Tokyo Verdy Beleza from Japan. Naegohyang narrowly secured a victory with a goal from their captain and striker, Kim Kyung-yong, in the 44th minute. This win awarded them the championship, a prize of US$1 million, and qualification for next year's Women's World Cup, as well as the first Women's Club World Cup in 2028. The 39-member North Korean athletic and official delegation, Naegohyang, marked the first visit from North Korea to South Korea in eight years, since the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, amidst ongoing political tensions. Although travel restrictions prevented official North Korean fans from attending, around 1,200 members of a South Korean civil society group, su pported by Seoul's Ministry of Unification, attended the games, cheering for Naegohyang and showing unity through drumming. A minor tense situation occurred post-match when the head coach and captain of the Naegohyang team exited the press conference after a South Korean reporter referred to their country as "the North" instead of its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Meanwhile, North Korea's state news agency reportedly celebrated the women's football team's success, including images of celebrations and flag waving. However, South Korea's Yonhap news agency claimed that North Korea's state media concealed information and did not mention that the final match was held in South Korea.
Menu