Pyongyang: North Korea's U-17 women's football team has received a grand welcome ceremony upon its return following a victory at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U17 Women's Asian Cup, state media reported Wednesday. The team was warmly greeted by government and party officials at Pyongyang International Airport, where players were honored with flower garlands and bouquets before parading through the city on a flower-decorated bus.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Pyongyang citizens lined the streets, waving at the procession as it passed, as shown in photos released by state media. Players responded to the cheering crowd by shaking hands, with one player seen signing an autograph on a football given to her by a boy. The Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, described the scene as "the city filled with joy and delight welcoming the nation's proud daughters."

The North Korean squad secured a victory over Japan with a 5-1 win in the final held at the Suzhou Sports Center Stadium in Jiangsu, China, on Sunday. This victory extended the country's dominance in the competition, marking the team's fifth AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup title, the most by any nation, surpassing Japan's four championships. The team also clinched the previous edition held in Indonesia in 2024.

Meanwhile, North Korea made no mention of the upcoming semifinal match between South Korea's Suwon FC Women and North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, located some 30 kilometers south of Seoul, scheduled for later in the day.