New Delhi: North Korean women footballers were overcome with emotion as they met Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un upon their return home following a landmark triumph in the AFC Women’s Champions League.
Players and coaching staff from Naegohyang Women’s FC, alongside members of North Korea’s Under-17 women’s national team, met Kim Jong Un ahead of a friendly match between the two sides on Monday, according to the country’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). A video released by KCNA showed several players visibly emotional and jumping in joy upon meeting the North Korean leader.
Naegohyang Women’s FC defeated Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 in the final in Suwon, South Korea. Captain and tournament MVP Kim Kyong Yong scored the decisive goal shortly before halftime to seal the historic victory.
Kim Jong-un, AFC Kadınlar Şampiyonlar Ligi'ni kazanan ilk Kuzey Kore takımı olan Naegohyang Women's FC'yi tebrik etti. pic.twitter.com/8qPXhtqhVd
— BPT (@bpthaber) June 3, 2026
The North Korean side had earlier defeated South Korea’s Suwon FC Women in the semi-finals after travelling to the southern country for the competition, the team’s first visit there in eight years. The trip marked the first time a North Korean sports team had crossed the border since the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
The championship victory earned Naegohyang a prize of $1 million, although it remains unclear whether the funds can be transferred to North Korea due to United Nations sanctions. The AFC has not publicly commented on the matter.
Naegohyang’s win has also secured the club a place in next year’s FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, where continental champions from around the world will compete, with the tournament’s final stages scheduled to take place in Miami. Founded in 2012, Naegohyang translates to “My Hometown” in Korean.
The AFC Women’s Champions League began in 2024-25, with China’s Wuhan Jiangda taking the trophy.
Press conference drama
Following their victory, Naegohyang players celebrated by unfurling North Korea’s national flag on the pitch, a rare sight in South Korea, where displays of the flag have historically been restricted under the National Security Act.
Speaking after the victory, head coach Ri Yu-il credited Kim Jong Un’s support for the team’s success.
“Today, as we face a historic moment advancing into the world as the top team in Asia, the emotions and passion we feel are simply indescribable. The trophy ceremony has already concluded, and now we face the task of confronting various new challenges ahead of us,” Ri said.
Kim Kyong Yong and Ri later walked out of a post-match press conference after a South Korean journalist referred to North Korea as the “north side” rather than its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung also congratulated the club, praising both the players and the spectators who attended the match.
“I extend my sincere congratulations to the players of Naegohyang Women’s Football Club,” Lee wrote on X. “The ball is round, and we will meet again. We will cheer you on vigorously for your next challenge.”
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)