Suggestions for the Success of the AFC Women’s Champions League Suwon Tournament
Il Young Jeong
Senior Research Fellow_Institute of Social Science_Sogang University
An unexpected match between women’s football club teams from South and North Korea has been arranged—remarkably, in Suwon, South Korea. In other words, a North Korean women’s club team will be visiting the South. Amid the current stalemate in inter-Korean relations, a subtle sense of tension is in the air.
This article sincerely welcomes the visit of North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s Football Team and proposes that both Koreas’ authorities actively cooperate with the Asian Football Confederation’s tournament operations—without political considerations—so that the AFC Women’s Champions League can be successfully concluded.
*‘Naegohyang’ is a Korean word meaning ‘my hometown.’
An Unexpected Visit by a North Korean Women’s Football Team to South Korea
The excitement from last March’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia is still vivid. A joint South–North Korean cheering squad from the South passionately chanted “Go Korea,” and the North Korean players responded with gestures of gratitude.
(The chant “Go Korea!” echoed from the Korean cheering squad in Australia, https://thekoreanodyssey.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-chant-go-korea-echoed-from-korean.html)
Before the emotional memories of that day had even faded, news arrived that North Korean players would be visiting the South. The semifinals and final of the AFC Women’s Champions League (2025/26), organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), will be held in Suwon on May 20 and 23. Representing South Korea, Suwon FC Women advanced to the semifinals after defeating Wuhan Jiangda WFC (China) 4–0 in the quarterfinal held in Wuhan on March 29, led by standout performances from Ji So-yun and Kim Hye-ri.
Meanwhile, North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC secured their place in the semifinals—and their trip to South Korea—by beating Ho Chi Minh City Women FC (Vietnam) 3–0 in the quarterfinal held at the Lao National Stadium in Laos on March 28. This sets up a historic inter-Korean clash between women’s club teams. Notably, North Korea is participating in the ongoing AFC Women’s Champions League 2025–26 season for the first time, sending the Naegohyang Women’s FC. Despite having no club ranking points and thus no seeding, the team overcame a challenging path through the playoffs and group stage to reach the semifinals.
In the semifinal match to be held in Suwon on May 20, Suwon FC Women (South Korea) will face Naegohyang Women’s FC (North Korea). On the other side of the bracket, Melbourne City FC (Australia) and Tokyo Verdy Beleza (Japan) will compete in a single-leg match for a place in the final.
A Fateful Meeting of South and North Korean Women’s Football
In fact, a clash between South and North Korean women’s club teams was far from guaranteed, given the complex set of conditions involved. First, the hosting rights for the AFC Women’s Champions League semifinals and final are granted only if a club from the host country reaches the final four. Even though Suwon had already applied to host the matches, it would not have been possible if Suwon FC Women had failed to advance to the semifinals.
Fortunately, Suwon FC Women secured both a semifinal berth and the hosting rights by defeating the defending 2024–25 champions, Wuhan Jiangda WFC (China), 4–0. The second piece of the puzzle fell into place when North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC also advanced to the semifinals. Finally, the semifinal draw set up a direct between the two Koreas’ women’s club teams. In what felt like the blink of an eye, all of this was decided within just a few days.
Following the 4–0 victory over Wuhan Jiangda WFC, Suwon FC Women’s Ji So-yun commented at the 2026 WK League Media Day in South Korea, “I’ve never beaten a Chinese team by such a large margin as 4–0 in my career,” adding, “Although the opposing team had five national team players, our squad came together with the shared goal of hosting the tournament in Suwon and making an inter-Korean matchup happen, which proved decisive.”
Perhaps it was meant to make up for the missed opportunity to meet during last March’s Asian Cup in Australia. In the end, Ji So-yun’s hope for an inter-Korean match has come true—as if by fate.
Let Us Meet Through Sport—Free from Political Considerations
The North Korean women’s football team’s visit to South Korea was decided so quickly that it almost feels sudden. How, then, should we prepare?
First and foremost, the role of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is crucial. The AFC must approach the Suwon tournament with a strong sense of responsibility, ensuring that the North Korean team can safely enter South Korea, train, and compete without any issues. At the same time, the South Korean government and the Korea Football Association should provide full support—actively, yet discreetly—without drawing unnecessary attention.
It has been seven years since inter-Korean dialogue came to a halt. If the authorities of both Koreas attempt to take the lead in resolving matters surrounding the North Korean team’s visit, it could end up making the situation more complicated. Some may view this tournament as an opportunity to restore inter-Korean relations. However, as we have often emphasized, the event should be prepared and conducted as sport “free from political considerations,” with the North Korean team welcomed in that spirit. If the tournament concludes successfully under such an approach, it may, in turn, have a positive impact on inter-Korean relations.
The role of civil society is equally important. Allowing the visit of the Naegohyang Women’s Football Team to escalate into political conflict would benefit no one. As the host of an international sporting event, South Korea should warmly welcome the visiting North Korean team, ensuring that they can compete safely and return home without incident, while offering support and encouragement throughout their stay.
Once again, we warmly welcome the visit of the Naegohyang Women’s FC and look forward to an exciting match against Suwon FC Women.
*IL-Young Jeong is a Senior Research Fellow at Sogang University in Seoul. His key research interests include North Korea's social control system, inter-Korean relations, and peace on the Korean Peninsula.
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