North Korea’s Naegohyang defeated Tokyo Verdy to win the Asian women’s title

North Korea’s Naegohyang won the Women’s Asian Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Tokyo ‌Verdy Beleza of Japan in the final on Saturday in Suwon, ⁠South Korea, with striker Kim Kyong-Yong scoring the only goal of the match.

Naegohyang, which arrived in Suwon last Sunday and defeated the hometown team 2-1 in the semi-finals on Wednesday, is the first North Korean team to visit the South in eight years.

The rare visit comes as North Korea has called the South its «most hostile state» in recent years and has ruled out reunifying the country divided by the 1950-1953 Korean War.

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In the final, Tokyo Verdy struggled to cope with the opponent’s pace and intensity throughout the match at the Suwon Sports Complex and was repeatedly cut open by counter-attacks, one of which led to Naegohyang’s goal.

Naegohyang scored on the eve of half-time after striker Jong Kum surged forward and outwitted Tokyo Verdy defender Yuna Aoki on the left wing before sending a cross to Kim, who scored with a deft finish in the 44th minute.

Tokyo Verdy desperately chased an equalizer in the second half, but the Japanese side were unable to break through a disciplined Naegohyang defense and failed to register a single shot on target.

The Asian Women’s Champions League, which had its inaugural season in 2024-2025, offers the champion a prize fund of $1,000,000.

Published on May 23, 2026