Naegohyang Women's Football Club Makes History in AFC Champions League

Historic Victory for Naegohyang

The Naegohyang women's football team from North Korea celebrated a monumental achievement after winning the 2025-2026 AFC Women's Champions League. Upon their return from South Korea, they had the honor of meeting Kim Jong-Un, the nation's supreme leader. This victory marks the first time a North Korean club has triumphed in this prestigious tournament, following the inaugural win by China's Wuhan Jianghan University FC in the previous season.

In the final match held at the Suwon Sports Complex, Naegohyang secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza, with Kim Kyong-yong netting the decisive goal just before halftime. Earlier in the tournament, they defeated South Korea's Suwon FC 2-1 in the semi-finals and won against Ho Chi Minh City I Women's Football Club 3-0 in the quarter-finals.

During the celebrations, Kim Jong-Un interacted with the players of Naegohyang and the North Korean U17 women's team, who also achieved success by winning the U-17 AFC Asian Cup. The two teams even played a friendly match, which Kim observed. Footage released by state media showed the players visibly emotional as they received congratulations from their leader.

This visit marked the first time in eight years that North Korean athletes traveled to South Korea, the last being during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018. Reports indicated that the players maintained a serious demeanor during their stay in South Korea, reflecting the tense relations between the two nations.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung extended his congratulations to the Naegohyang team via social media, emphasizing his ongoing efforts to foster peace between the two countries. He stated, “I sincerely congratulate the players of Naegohyang Women’s FC on winning the AFC Women’s Champions League. The high-level matches in the Champions League clearly demonstrated the brilliant development and capabilities of Asian women’s football to the world. I hope this tournament, beyond victory and defeat, has become a meaningful opportunity to lead the leap of Asian sports and reaffirm the value of peace and unity through sports.” He also praised the players of Tokyo Verdy Beleza and Melbourne City FC for their participation.