A North Korean women’s football club will play a match in South Korea this month, the first sporting meeting between the two rival countries since 2018, South Korea’s Ministry of Unification announced on Monday.
According to the ministry, North Korean authorities sent a “notification of a 39-member delegation” from women’s club Naegohyang to face South Korea’s Suwon on May 20.
The delegation includes 27 players and 12 members of the coaching staff, the ministry said. It was not specified when the North Korean team will arrive.
The match is part of an international series that also includes Melbourne City, from Australia, and Tokyo Verdy Beleza, from Japan, who will also face each other.
The winning teams of their respective games will face each other in the final on May 23.
The match will mark the first time a North Korean sports team has played in the South since shooting, football and table tennis delegations visited South Korea in 2018.
The North Korean team is a powerhouse in Asian women’s football, having won several international titles in recent years.
