WK League News

The 25th National Women’s Football Championship (전국여자축구선수권대회) is set to begin tomorrow (30th July) in Chungju, with 59 youth teams participating in U-12, U-15, U-18, and university-level divisions. An U-14 ‘football festival’ will also be held alongside the tournament for the first time.

WK League clubs will not be competing at this year’s NWFC, as the senior division has been removed from the competition to allow room in the calendar for the newly established W Korea Cup. Hwacheon KSPO lifted the trophy at last year’s tournament on their way to completing the first domestic treble in the history of women’s football in South Korea.

Matches will be held at several venues in the city of Chungju, in North Chungcheong province. The U-12 tournament will be played on the auxiliary field at Chungju Sports Complex, while games in the U-15 tournament will take place at both Suanbo Football Field and Tangeum University. The U-18 and university divisions will both be played at Tangeum University.

The U-14 football festival will take place alongside the main tournament, with the aim of giving players caught between the U-12 and U-15 age brackets more match experience. The KWFF has said that the U-14 festival is focused on supporting player growth, rather than competition, and it is hoped that the event will represent the beginning of a more development-focused women’s football culture.

In recent years, the National Women’s Football Championship has drawn criticism from players’ unions and the media for inadequate facilities and playing conditions, including the scheduling of matches in extreme heat. This year, the KWFF and the Chungju Football Association have promised to strengthen health and safety provisions for the tournament, with more medical personnel on site and continuous monitoring of all venues.

The full schedule (in Korean) can be found on the KWFF website. Results will be published via the federation’s social media. Some matches will be broadcast live via the KWFF on YouTube.