The South Korean Ministry of Unification announced on May 12 that the Korea Football Association has submitted an online application through the “Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation System” to request approval for the North Korean women’s professional football team, “My Homeland,” to visit South Korea.
According to the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, North Korean individuals must apply for a visit at least seven days in advance. A Ministry official stated that after consulting with relevant authorities, approval is expected to be granted before the club’s arrival on May 17.
The roster submitted by the football association matches the list provided by the Asian Football Confederation earlier this month, including 27 players and 12 staff members, totaling 39 people. However, the actual number of visitors may be reduced.
The “My Homeland” club’s visit is aimed at participating in the 2025-2026 AFC Women’s Champions League, where they will face South Korea’s Suwon FC Women’s Football Club in the semifinals on May 20. This marks the first time in seven years and five months that North Korean athletes will visit South Korea for a sporting event. The last such visit was in December 2018 when a joint Korean team competed in the mixed doubles event at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour Finals in Incheon.
