Naegohyang to Play Suwon in Asian Women's Champions League Semi-final 2026

North Korean team to visit South Korea for football match

Introduction to Match A group of North Korean football players will be making a rare trip to South Korea later this month. The North Korean team, Naegohyang, will be crossing the border to compete against Suwon in the Asian Women's Champions League semi-final, scheduled to take place on 20 May. A list of 27 players and 12 staff from Pyongyang has been sent, and their visit has been confirmed by South Korea's Unification Ministry. This will be the first time athletes from the north have crossed the border since 2018, when North Korea sent athletes to South Korea for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, where they formed a unified ice hockey team for the first time. ## Background to Ties The rare visit comes as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is seeking to improve strained ties with North Korea. In recent years, ties have deteriorated, with North Korea referring to South Korea as its 'most hostile state' and stating that it would no longer seek reunification. The two Koreas are still technically at war, as they did not sign a peace treaty when the Korean War ended in 1953. Naegohyang is competing in the Champions League for the first time, having defeated Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam 3-0 in the quarter final. ## Upcoming Matches The winner of the semi-final match will face either Melbourne City or Tokyo Verdy in the final, which is also scheduled to take place in Suwon, on 23 May. Ben Haines, Ellen White, and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women's Football Weekly podcast, with new episodes being released every Tuesday, along with interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond. ## Additional Information For the latest news on the Women's Super League, a dedicated page is available. The match between Naegohyang and Suwon is highly anticipated, and fans are looking forward to the semi-final match in the Asian Women's Champions League.