The North Korean women's football club Naegohyang arrived in South Korea on Sunday to prepare for a much-anticipated semifinal match in the Asian Football Confederation Women's Champions League.
Naegohyang Women's FC landed at Incheon International Airport just after 2 p.m. on Sunday with 27 players and 12 staff members after training in Beijing. The team will face Suwon FC Women in the semifinal of the AFC Women's Champions League at Suwon Stadium at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
The visit marks the first time a North Korean women's football club has crossed the border and the first group of North Korean athletes to compete in South Korea since December 2018.
Of the roughly 9,000 tickets, 7,087 general admission seats sold out within hours of going on sale. The unification ministry offered funds from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund to buy remaining tickets for civic group cheerleaders.
The AFC has said it wants the tournament to remain a purely sporting event free from external political agendas. The final is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday at the same venue.
