WK League News

League champions Hwacheon KSPO travel to Seoul this weekend to take on Seoul City Amazones in the first leg of the 2025 WK League Championship Final. The winning team will lift the trophy after the second leg at Hwacheon KSPO’s home ground, Hwacheon Sports Park, next week. Both teams are aiming to earn their first WK League title, and their first ticket to compete in the AFC Women’s Champions’ League. Hwacheon secured their place in the final by finishing the season at the top of the table, while league runners-up Seoul progressed to the final after a goalless draw against Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels in the playoff last Saturday.

The match

Seoul City Amazones vs. Hwacheon KSPO
14:00, Saturday 8th November 2025
Auxiliary Field, Seoul World Cup Stadium
Cable broadcast: KBSN Sports (Skylife 203, SKBTV 985, LGU+ 105, Genie TV 59)
Online streaming: YouTube via KBSN Sports

The teams

Although neither Hwacheon nor Seoul have lifted the WK League trophy before, both clubs have played in the final on at least one previous occasion. For the Amazones and their fans, it has been a long wait — the last time the team made it this far was in 2013. As for KSPO, their experience is much more recent. After the disappointment of finishing in second place in the league but losing the playoff in 2023, the Gangwon-based team finished the 2024 season as league champions to proceed directly to the final. However, the heartbreak was merely postponed as they were beaten in the final by Suwon FC, who incidentally begin their Champions’ League campaign this weekend.

Hwacheon KSPO’s strength this year has been their consistency. Throughout the season, Hwacheon have played fast but focused football, driving the ball up the wings with short, accurate passes before sending a cross in to one or another of their many attacking threats in the box. Compared to other teams, KSPO had very little squad turnover between the end of the last season and the start of this one, and although manager Kang Sunmi was new to the role at the start of 2025, she wasn’t new to the club, having been promoted from the team’s existing coaching staff. Ahead of the championship final, Kang told press that Hwacheon will approach the match “like normal”, maintaining focus to “prove” their status as the best in the league.

While Hwacheon’s star players boast a lot of experience, even experience of WK League playoffs and finals, the standouts of Seoul’s squad are its youngsters. Manager Yoo Young-sil has been at the helm since 2019 and is passionate about creating positive surroundings for young players, and for women’s football itself, to flourish. Players seem to buy into this philosophy — the team and coaching staff at Seoul appear to enjoy a good working environment, and Yoo herself cites this as an asset that cannot be quantified.

However, football matches cannot be won on good vibes alone. Seoul’s Achilles heel is their small squad. Even at full strength they only have 22 players, including three goalkeepers, and with several players currently recovering from injury, Yoo has very limited choices when it comes to substitutions. These choices could be limited even further in the second leg if Kim Minji picks up another yellow card, and a suspension, this Saturday. Seoul’s intensity dropped noticeably towards the end of last week’s playoff, leaving them vulnerable to late attacks from an opponent with more squad depth. Hwacheon’s players and coaches will know this, and be ready to take advantage. Added to Seoul’s burden is the fact that KSPO didn’t have to play in the playoff, leaving their players better rested ahead of the final.

Head-to-head results

Three of the four meetings between Hwacheon and Seoul this season have resulted in a draw. In the two teams’ most recent encounter in September, Hwacheon emerged victorious, beating Seoul 2-0 at home to maintain their position at the top of the league table. The teams finished the league season with only three points between them, Hwacheon with 57 (15 wins, 9 draws, 4 losses) and Seoul close behind with 54 (14 wins, 9 draws, 5 losses). Seoul remain unbeaten at home in 2025.

Key players

Choi Yoojung has scored the second most goals (12) and recorded the most assists (13) in the 2024 WK League, making her a valuable asset for Hwacheon KSPO. However, she was missing from the lineup at the recent National Sports Festival due to injury. If she is back to match fitness, expect her to be causing problems for Seoul’s defence. With or without her, teammates and fellow top scorers Moon Eunju and Choi Jungmin will also be quick to exploit any mistakes from Seoul’s defence. Leading the team from the back, captain Jung Jiyeon may not get as much of the glory, but she plays an important role in progressing the ball up the pitch and setting up attacking opportunities for KSPO.

With the number of goalscoring threats in Hwacheon’s squad, it’s likely to be another busy day at the office for Seoul goalkeeper Woo Seobin. 21-year-old Woo is only the first year of her league career, but she is a very talented keeper with plenty of youth experience, including on the international stage. She was named Player of the Match at last week’s playoff, and with Seoul’s defence weakened by the aforementioned injuries, she will need to put in another strong performance against Hwacheon to give her team the best chance of usurping the league champions.

What to expect

Both teams will be giving it their all in this, the first part of the final showdown between two clubs on the cusp of their first ever league title. Seoul haven’t managed to beat Hwacheon yet this season, and with a smaller, less experienced squad and shorter recovery time, winning the championship final will be a tough gig. The Amazones are a very likeable team — they are enjoying a boost in support from neutrals and fans of other clubs who want to see the perfect ending to the 2025 WK League’s very own underdog story. Yoo Young-sil’s squad need to use their home advantage tomorrow to try and put KSPO on the back foot heading into the second leg. Hwacheon will seek to tire their opponents physically and mentally with relentless and organised attacking play. After narrowly missing out on the title last year, KSPO will be more determined and focused this time around. Realistically, keeping the score even by the end of the first leg would be a good result for Seoul.

As with last week’s playoff, the KWFF are handing out lots of freebies for supporters attending tomorrow’s match. There will also be an opportunity to meet the KWFF’s new marketing ambassadors Yubin, Hwang Heejung, Park Jihye and Kim Seunghye, who will be holding an autograph signing session outside the supporters’ entrance from 13:00-13:20.