Suwon: A North Korean women's football club is set to pursue their inaugural title at the premier Asian tournament on South Korean soil this weekend. Naegohyang Women's FC of North Korea will face Tokyo Verdy Beleza of Japan in the final of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Champions League at Suwon Stadium, located 30 kilometers south of Seoul, at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the AFC Women's Champions League, now in its second season, represents the pinnacle of women's club football in Asia. Both Naegohyang and Tokyo are participating in their first Women's Champions League. Naegohyang secured their spot in the final by overcoming South Korea's Suwon FC Women 2-1 in the semifinals, with second-half goals from Choe Kum-ok and Kim Kyong-yong. Meanwhile, Tokyo Verdy Beleza triumphed over Melbourne City FC, the 2025 runners-up, with a 3-1 victory, courtesy of two goals from Yuzuho Shiokoshi and one from Miharu Shinjo.
The winning team will be awarded US$1 million, while the runners-up will receive $500,000. In their previous encounter, Tokyo defeated Naegohyang 4-0 during their Group C meeting last November, which took place in Yangon, Myanmar. During that match, Shiokoshi and Shinjo each scored, with Moka Hiwatari contributing two goals.
Currently, Shiokoshi, Hiwatari, and Kim are tied for second place in goals scored at this year's tournament, each with three goals. Naegohyang head coach Ri Yu-il has emphasized that the outcomes of the group stage will not influence the knockout matches, highlighting that all four semifinalists are capable of claiming the title.
While praising his team's comeback victory against Suwon FC Women, Ri acknowledged that his young team needs to address certain issues on both offense and defense. "We will try our best to play an even better match in the final," he stated. "We are still a young team with little experience, and I hope we will use this victory as a stepping stone for the future."
Despite Suwon Stadium being a neutral venue, Naegohyang players are expected to have strong support from the crowd. Their previous match against Suwon FC Women, the first meeting between women's football clubs from the Koreas on South Korean soil, attracted approximately 5,700 fans. Many spectators were from South Korean civic groups who cheered for the North Korean side, often overshadowing the support for Suwon FC Women with chants of "Naegohyang."