North Korean Club Wins Asian Women’s Champions League

Pyongyang: (Web Desk) – Naegohyang Women’s FC created history by winning the Asian Women’s Champions League after defeating Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 in the final held in Suwon.

The victory marked the first visit by a North Korean sports team to South Korea in eight years and highlighted the growing strength of women’s football in North Korea.

Captain Kim Kyong Yong scored the decisive goal just before halftime, helping Naegohyang secure the continental title and qualification for next year’s FIFA Women’s Champions Cup in Miami.

Speaking after the win, coach Ri Yu Il thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for his support and described the achievement as a historic moment for the club.

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The coach said the team was now ready to face new global challenges after becoming Asia’s top women’s club side.

However, a tense moment occurred during the post-match press conference when the coach and captain walked out after a South Korean reporter referred to their country as the “north side,” instead of its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Following the victory, Naegohyang players celebrated by waving the North Korean national flag inside the stadium — a rare and symbolic moment in South Korea, where the display of the flag has long been sensitive under national security laws.

Around 1,200 members of South Korean civic groups attended the final to support the visiting team, applauding the players during the celebrations.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung congratulated the North Korean club in a message posted on X, praising both the players and the respectful atmosphere created by supporters.

Naegohyang had also defeated South Korean side Suwon FC Women in the semifinals before edging past Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the final.

The club, founded in 2012, attracted major media attention throughout the tournament because of strained relations between North and South Korea in recent years.