Weeks before the kickoff of the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia, South Korea has successfully averted a potential boycott by its national women's football team. The dispute, rooted in complaints over "discriminatory conditions" compared to their male counterparts, had threatened to disrupt the team's participation in the prestigious tournament.
The Korea Professional Footballers' Association (KPFA) publicly released a statement in January, revealing a joint communication sent in September of the previous year to the Korea Football Association (KFA). In this statement, the players detailed grievances regarding substandard conditions experienced during national team duties. These included arduous journeys on buses and economy-class flights, "inadequate" accommodations located far from training facilities, and the requirement for players to personally cover expenses for items such as airport transfers and training kits. The players declared that they would boycott games and "suspend participation in all training related to the upcoming 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup" if their demands were not addressed by October 17.
The KFA responded by stating they had been "internally reviewing step-by-step improvements and discussing the issue internally since we received the statement". On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the KFA announced that the matter had "been resolved". They also revealed the 26-player squad selected for the Asian Cup, signaling the end of the boycott threat.
Moving forward, the KFA has pledged to provide business-class travel for all women's team squad members for long-haul journeys, starting this year. The association also affirmed its commitment to "strengthen a sustainable support system that allows the players to perform at their best while taking pride in wearing the national colors". The team is scheduled to convene at South Korea’s national training center on Sunday before departing for Australia four days later.
The 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup, hosted by Australia, will take place from March 1st to 21st. This edition marks the 21st iteration of the quadrennial international football tournament. It also serves as the final stage of Asian qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. South Korea finds itself in a first-round group alongside the hosts Australia, Iran, and the Philippines. Their opening match is against Iran on March 2nd at the Gold Coast.
The squad selected by coach Shin Sang-woo features a blend of experience and new talent. Notable players include former Chelsea midfielder Ji So-yun and US-born 18-year-old Casey Phair from Angel City FC. Eight overseas-based players have been called up, including AC Milan's Park Soo-jeong.
FIFPRO Asia/Oceania released a report, "Opportunities of the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026," highlighting the potential for this year's tournament to generate up to USD $82.4 million in revenue. The report identifies that many Asian women footballers still lack fully professional careers, including decent pay and conditions, and the AFC Women's Asian Cup (WAC) lags behind comparable international tournaments for prize money. Players from seven countries participating in the 2026 WAC have written to the AFC uniting behind a four-point vision for the tournament, calling for equal conditions, equal prize money, guaranteed player payments and a shared legacy program.
With the dispute resolved, South Korea can now focus on preparing for the tournament and aiming for their first AFC Women's Asian Cup title. The matches will be held across five venues in three host cities: Perth, Gold Coast and Sydney.