Taeguk Ladies to compete in Chinese tournament in 2019

The Korean women’s national football team is planning to take part in a friendly tournament in China next year to fine tune its preparations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, officials here said Wednesday.

The Taeguk Ladies, led by head coach Yoon Duk-yeo, are looking to compete in the four-nation tournament to be held in Meizhou, Guangdong Province, in China from Jan. 19 to 22, a Korea Football Association (KFA) official said. Along with China and Korea, the organizers are trying to invite Canada and one African team, the KFA official.

The tournament will be a tune-up for Korea ahead of the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, which starts in June. Korea - ranked 14th in the latest FIFA ranking - have been placed in Group A with the host, France, as well as Norway and Nigeria, for the top women’s football tournament.

Yoon’s team will face France - third in the FIFA rankings - for the opening match at Parc des Princes in Paris on June 7, 2019, according to the tournament schedule. They will then take on Nigeria - ranked 39th in the world - at Stade des Alpes in Grenoble on June 12 and wrap up their group stage campaign against Norway - ranked 14th -at Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims on June 17.

China, the 1999 Women’s World Cup runner-up, is with Germany, Spain and South Africa in Group B.

“The women’s team plans to start training in mid-May and enter Paris five days before the opening match,” the KFA official said.

Yonhap