North Korea Women's soccer team to visit South Korea for AFC semifinal this weekend

By Jun Sung-min Posted : May 14, 2026, 17:54 Updated : May 14, 2026, 17:54
North Korean footballers arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport in China on May 12, 2026. Yonhap
SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - The Unification Ministry here has approved a visit by North Korea's women's soccer team to participate in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Champions League next week.

A total of 39 North Korean footballers and sports officials are set to arrive on Sunday for the tournament's semifinal match against Suwon FC Women, scheduled for May 20 in Gyeonggi Province. They will be allowed to stay in South Korea until May 24.

It will be the first time in seven years and five months that a North Korean team has visited South Korea for a sports event, since the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour Grand Finals in Incheon in December 2018.

It will also be the first visit by a North Korean women's soccer team since the 2014 Asian Games in the same port city, 12 years ago.

The ministry said up to 300 million won will be spent from the inter-Korean cooperation fund to help cover cheering-related expenses, with about 3,000 people from some 200 civic groups expected to participate.

The ministry said it has provided guidance on "generally prohibited items" and advised a ban on political or religious messages under AFC regulations.

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