‘Tearing down barriers’: North Korean footballers arrive in Seoul for first time in eight years
North Korean women's football club Naegohyang FC has arrived in South Korea for the first time in eight years to compete in the AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final against Suwon FC. The visit, approved under inter-Korean exchange laws, is seen as a rare opportunity to foster mutual understanding despite ongoing political tensions. All tickets for the match were sold out within a day, reflecting strong public interest in the event.
- ▪Naegohyang FC arrived in South Korea with 27 players and 12 staff for the AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.
- ▪This is the first visit by North Korean athletes to South Korea in eight years, approved under the inter-Korean exchange law.
- ▪The South Korean government allocated 300 million won to support a joint cheering squad, emphasizing the event's potential to promote reconciliation.
- ▪The match will not include national anthems or political symbols, in accordance with Asian Football Confederation rules.
- ▪Public interest was high, with all 7,087 available tickets selling out within one day according to the football federation.
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — World |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/17/afc-women-champions-league-north-korea-south-korea-naegohyang-fc-suwon |
| Publication time | Sun, 17 May 2026 08:56:35 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-17T09:07:12.954Z |
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Naegohyang FC players arriving at Incheon international airport in South Korea on Sunday. Photograph: Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPAView image in fullscreenNaegohyang FC players arriving at Incheon international airport in South Korea on Sunday. Photograph: Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPASouth Korea‘Tearing down barriers’: North Korean footballers arrive in Seoul for first time in eight yearsNaegohyang FC due to play Suwon FC in semi-final of Asian Women’s Champions League on WednesdayReuters in SeoulSun 17 May 2026 04.56 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleA North Korean women’s football club has arrived in South Korea for an AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final, marking the first visit by athletes from the isolated state to the South in eight years.The delegation of 27 players and 12 staff entered the…
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