South Korea U-17 Women’s National Team Gears Up for AFC Asian Cup and World Cup Bid

The South Korean U-17 women’s national football team, coached by Lee Da-young, recently concluded a 10-day training camp in Kunming, China, as preparation for the upcoming Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-17 Women’s Asian Cup in May. The camp, which ran from February 23rd to March 4th, involved three friendly matches against Chinese opposition, aiming to acclimate the team to the conditions in China and refine their tactical approach.

Training Camp Details and Match Results

During the training camp, the South Korean team participated in three practice matches, achieving a record of one win, one draw and one loss.

• February 27th: South Korea defeated Dalian, a team ranked 6th in the Chinese women’s second division, 2-0. Hankookhee Han and Minseo Kim scored the goals for South Korea.
• March 2nd: The team drew 0-0 against Guangxi Pingguo Beinong, the reigning champions of the Chinese second division who were recently promoted to the Super League.
• March 3rd: South Korea lost 0-3 to the Chinese U-17 women’s national team.

The training camp prioritized adapting to the climate, food, and playing surfaces of China, the host nation for the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup. An international referee officiated the matches, and the official tournament ball was used to enhance the team’s familiarity with the competition environment. The high-altitude conditions in Kunming (1,900 meters above sea level) were also leveraged to improve the players’ cardiovascular endurance and physical conditioning.

AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup and World Cup Qualification

South Korea has been drawn into Group C for the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup, alongside North Korea, the Philippines, and Chinese Taipei. Their schedule is as follows:

• May 2nd: South Korea vs. Philippines
• May 5th: South Korea vs. Chinese Taipei
• May 8th: South Korea vs. North Korea

The tournament format involves a group stage with three groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarterfinals. The four teams that reach the semifinals will qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will be held annually in Morocco, starting in 2025. South Korea aims to secure a spot in the tournament through their performance at the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup.

South Korea U-17 Women’s National Team Roster

The 23-player squad for the training camp included:

• Goalkeepers: Joy (Yesung Girls’ High School), Ha-eun Move (Gyeongnam Robot High School), Seung-ah Lee (Ulsan Hyundai High School)
• Defenders: Na-young Park, Ji-yeon Chu, Se-young Koo, A-hyeon Jeon (Ulsan Hyundai High School), Seo-yeon Woo (Gyeongnam Robot High School), Hanna Jang (Gwangyang Girls’ High School), Ji-eun Kim (Pohang Girls’ High School), Gyu-eun Kang (Ulsan Hyundai Cheongwoon Middle School)
• Midfielders: Se-eun Choi, Hyo-ri Kwon, Ji-yoon Kang (Gyeongnam Robot High School), Min-seo Kim, Go Ji-eun, Ye-jin Jang, Hee-na Kim (Ulsan Hyundai High School), Hee Han (Pohang Girls’ High School)
• Forwards: Jihye Lim (Ulsan Hyundai Cheongwoon Middle School), Seoyoung Baek (Gyeongnam Robot High School), Jo An (Ulsan Hyundai High School), Soonok Lee (Incheon Design High School)

This training camp and the upcoming AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup represent a crucial step in the development of South Korea’s young football talent and their pursuit of qualification for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.