Suwon to host inter-Korean match in Asian women's club football tournament
Suwon FC Women players celebrate after scoring a goal against Wuhan Jiangda Women's FC during their quarterfinal match at the Asian Football Confederation Women's Champions League at Hankou Culture Sports Centre in Wuhan, China, Sunday (local time). Courtesy of Xinhua
A satellite city of Seoul will host a women's football match pitting clubs from South Korea and North Korea against each other next month.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Monday that Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, will host the semifinals and the final of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Champions League on May 20 and May 23 at Suwon Stadium.
In one of the semifinal matches, Suwon FC Women are scheduled to take on the North Korean side Naegohyang Women's FC at 7 p.m. on May 20.
The other side of the bracket will see Melbourne City FC of Australia against Tokyo Verdy Beleza of Japan at 2 p.m. on May 20.
The final is scheduled to kick off at 2 p.m. on May 23 at Suwon Stadium.
Members of the starting lineup for Naegohyang Women's FC pose for a photo before taking on Ho Chi Minh City Women's FC in the clubs' quarterfinal match at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Champions League at Lao National Stadium KM16 in Vientiane, Vietnam, Saturday (local time). Courtesy of AFC
According to the KFA, South Korea and China had both submitted their applications to the AFC to host the semifinals and final in January. A country must have its club reach at least the semifinals to be eligible to host these matches, and South Korea won the rights when Suwon FC Women knocked off the Chinese club Wuhan Jiangda Women's FC in the quarterfinals Sunday.
It wasn't immediately clear if Naegohyang will cross the border to play the knockout match in South Korea.
"At this juncture, it's premature to say with any certainty that Naegohyang will visit South Korea," a KFA official said. "We will have discussions with the AFC and the unification ministry."
In 2005 and 2013, the North Korean women's national team traveled to South Korea to compete at the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Women's Football Championship.
South Korea also hosted the EAFF competition in 2019 and 2025, but North Korea withdrew on both occasions.