Naegohyang Women’s FC arrived in South Korea for the AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final
The match, which will be played on Wednesday in Suwon, marks a rare sporting meeting between the two nations
Naegohyang enter the tie after a 3-0 win over Ho Chi Minh City and previously beat Suwon 3-0 in the group stage
Naegohyang Vs Suwon, AFC Women’s Champions League: North Korean Side Lands In South Korea For Semi-Final
North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC face South Korea’s Suwon FC Women in a politically charged AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final on Wednesday
Summary
North Korean side Naegohyang Women’s FC will face South Korea’s Suwon FC Women in the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025-26 semi-final on Wednesday in Suwon, marking a rare meeting between the two nations in a sporting event.
The 39-member Naegohyang contingent landed at the Incheon International Airport on Sunday, marking the first visit by North Korean athletes to the country in eight years amid rising tensions on the peninsula. North Korea last sent athletes to South Korea in December 2018 for a table tennis event, following the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
The Naegohyang group, consisting of players and staff, did not speak on arrival at the airport. Some South Korean citizens filmed the moment while activists reportedly shouted “Welcome! Welcome!”
North Korean soccer club Naegohyang Women's FC team arrives for the semifinals of the AFC Women's Champions League at Incheon International Airpot in Incheon, South Korea, Sunday, May 17, 2026. | Photo: AP/Ahn Young-joon
The match comes amid strained inter-Korean relations, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un maintaining a hardline stance towards Seoul. Still, South Korea’s government under President Lee Jae Myung has supported reconciliation efforts. It will provide financial support to civic groups planning a 3,000-member cheering section for both sides in Wednesday’s match.
“We will enthusiastically cheer for them by chanting the names of both teams and their players, while faithfully adhering to AFC guidelines,” the civic groups said in a statement.
Naegohyang Hold Edge
Naegohyang enter the semi-final following a 3-0 dismantling of Vietnamese side Ho Chi Minh City Women FC in Vientiane. Suwon, meanwhile, beat Wuhan Jiangda 4-0 in China in the quarter-finals.
Naegohyang beat Suwon 3-0 during the group stage in Myanmar last November.
North Korea are one of the biggest sides in Asian women’s football, especially at the youth level. They have won the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup four times and the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup three times.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Melbourne City FC take on Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the other semi-final on Wednesday. The final is scheduled for Saturday in Suwon.
When is the Naegohyang vs Suwon, AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final being played?
The Naegohyang vs Suwon, AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final will be played on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 3:30 PM IST.
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Where is the Naegohyang vs Suwon, AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final being played?
The Naegohyang vs Suwon, AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final will be played at the Suwon Sports Complex in South Korea.
Where to watch the Naegohyang vs Suwon, AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final live?
The Naegohyang vs Suwon, AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website in India. There will be no television broadcast of the game in the country.
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