North Korea: Kim Jong-un Personally Welcomes Naegohyang Women's FC in Pyongyang After Historic AFC Title Win (Watch Video)
Kim Jong-un personally welcomed Naegohyang Women’s FC in Pyongyang after their historic 1-0 win against Tokyo Verdy Beleza in South Korea to claim the AFC Women's Champions League title. While celebrated domestically as a symbol of national strength, the club's access to the USD 1 million prize money remains uncertain due to UN sanctions.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally received the players and staff of Naegohyang Women’s FC in Pyongyang following their victory in the AFC Women’s Champions League. The reception marked the team’s return as the first North Korean club to win Asia’s premier women’s football tournament. Images published by state media documented the leadership embracing squad members, posing for formal photographs, and commemorating the regional sports milestone.
Final Match of the AFC Women’s Champions League and Championship Title
Naegohyang secured the continental title following a 1-0 victory over Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the final, held at the Suwon Sports Complex in South Korea on May 23. Forward and team captain Kim Kyong-yong scored the decisive goal in the 44th minute, subsequently earning the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. North Korea Leader Kim Jong-un Celebrates Completion of Building Another 10,000 New Homes in Pyongyang.
Kim Jong-un Receives Title-Winning Naegohyang Women's FC in Pyongyang
According to reports from state-run media, Kim Jong-un praised the athletes during the homecoming event for enhancing national prestige. Following the formal reception, the North Korean leader watched an exhibition match between the newly crowned champions and the North Korean under-17 women's national team.
Institutional Ties and Domestic Presentation
The victory has been heavily elevated within domestic state media campaigns. Naegohyang Women's FC maintains direct institutional links to North Korea’s Guard Command, the elite military unit explicitly tasked with overseeing the personal security of Kim Jong-un. The state's ruling party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, published extensive coverage framing the squad as "proud daughters of the motherland" who demonstrated national resolve during the tournament's knockout stages. The official welcoming ceremony in the capital drew dozens of senior government officials, military personnel, and members of the public who gathered to greet the returning athletes.
Sanctions Complexity and Cross-Border Relations
The championship win includes a USD 1 million financial reward from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). However, financial analysts and international observers note that the club's ability to access the funds remains uncertain due to strict United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed on North Korea. These international compliance frameworks strictly restrict foreign currency transfers and banking operations connected to entities inside the country. North Korean Soccer Team Beats South Korean Hosts in Rare Match Between Divided Countries.
The tournament run also carried significant diplomatic visibility, requiring the North Korean contingent to travel directly to South Korea. The matches in Suwon marked the first time North Korean football players have crossed the border to compete on South Korean soil since the 2014 Asian Games held in Incheon.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2026 06:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).