South Korea football bosses in talks to avert Women’s Asian Cup boycott

SEOUL – South Korea football bosses said on Feb 2 that they were in talks with players to avert a boycott of March’s Women’s Asian Cup and expected the national team to train for the tournament as scheduled.

The country’s women’s side in 2025 complained of poor and “discriminatory conditions” provided by the Korea Football Association (KFA) compared to their male counterparts.

A team statement from September, made public in January, said that players faced gruelling long journeys on buses and economy-class flights, and were forced to stay in “inadequate” accommodation far from training grounds.

A KFA official told AFP: “We are continuing talks with the players to resolve the matter and plan to proceed with our training schedule.”

The governing body will call in the players for a pre-tournament training camp in mid-February, she added.

Players complained that they were required to pay for their own airport transfers and training kit.

The players’ statement said they would “suspend participation in all training related to the upcoming 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup” and refuse to play matches if the KFA did not respond by Oct 17.

It added there were “clear and undeniable differences” from the conditions enjoyed by the men’s national team.

An internal KFA document seen by AFP showed that the women’s team was allocated US$1.28 million (S$1.6 million) in 2025.

That was less than 10 per cent of the total budget for the men’s team.

The 12-team Women’s Asian Cup will be held in Australia from March 1 to 21.

South Korea have been drawn in a group with the hosts, Iran and the Philippines.

Midfielder Ji So-yun, who spent eight years at English club Chelsea, said recently: “It feels as though the players are not being treated in a manner befitting national team members.”

“With a heavy heart I believe action is necessary to bring about change,” she added in comments reported by Yonhap news agency.

Meanwhile, in on-pitch action, Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord struck in extra time to power them to victory in the inaugural Women’s Champions Cup on Feb 1, defeating Brazil’s Corinthians 3-2 in a rain-soaked final at the Emirates Stadium.

Reigning Champions League winners Arsenal looked set to seal the title in normal time, leading 2-1 before Vic Albuquerque converted a 96th-minute penalty to force extra time.

Olivia Smith and Lotte Wubben-Moy also scored for Renee Slegers’ team before Foord beat goalkeeper Lele at her near post in the 104th minute to earn a dramatic winner over the Copa Libertadores champions in front of a crowd that included FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

“It’s not often that at Arsenal you can write history because history has been written so many times,” Wubben-Moy told Sky Sports.

“We stand on the shoulders of giants. To come to this inaugural competition and win it and do it with all of our fans here in style - our fans are wonderful and that’s who we do it for.”

As the winners of FIFA’s new intercontinental tournament featuring champions from all six confederations, Arsenal will collect a US$2.3 million prize. AFP, REUTERS