# April 25 Sports Club

April 25 Sports Club (Korean: 4.25체육단, Sa io ch'eyuktan), shortly 4.25 SC, also known as April 25 National Defence Sports Club (4.25'국방체육단', Sa io "Kukpang ch'eyuktan"), is a multi-sports club based in Pyongyang, North Korea, primarily known for its men's and women's football teams. The club belongs to the Ministry of People's Armed Forces; all members of the professional teams (male and female) are considered officers of the Army.

## History

The club was established in March 1947 or July 1949 as the Central Sports Training School Sports Club (중앙체육강습소체육단, Chung'ang ch'eyukkangsŭpso ch'eyukdan).
On 25 June 1971 or 26 June 1972, the club's name was changed to its current name; Kim Il Sung's anti-Japanese guerilla army – Joseon People's Revolutionary Army, considered the predecessor of the Korean People's Army, was formed on 25 April 1932. (Until 1977, the original KPA's official date of establishment was 8 February 1948. However, in 1978, it was changed to 25 April 1932. This change was reverted in 2018.)
The men's football team plays in the DPR Korea Premier Football League, and is the most successful club side in the country, having won 22 national championships. April 25's home stadium is the Yanggakdo Stadium. In international club competition, home matches are usually played at the Kim Il Sung Stadium. In 2015, April 25 achieved an uncommon feat, when both the men's and women's clubs won their respective national championships.
4.25 reached the final of the 2019 AFC Cup. They lost the final against Al-Ahed from Lebanon. The final took place in Kuala Lumpur. 4.25 reached the final after a goalless draw against Hanoi FC from Vietnam. The 2019 AFC Cup knockout stage game took place at the Kim Il-sung Stadium in Pyongyang in front of a crowd of 5,500. 4.25 SC usually play home games in front of thousands of spectators. The club drew an average home attendance of 4,050 in their four home games at the 2019 AFC Cup.

## Confusion with February 8 Sports Club

February 8 Sports Club and April 25 Sports Club have many similarities, but the North Korean Ministry of People's Armed Forces operates both sports clubs separately. The 2017 editions of the Paektusan Prize and the Mangyongdae Prize were won by April 25 Sports Club, with February 8 Sports Club finishing in second place.

## Rivalries

April 25's primary rival is Amnokgang. Amnokgang belongs to the Ministry of People's Security, and the professional rivalry between the Military and the Police carries over onto the sports field. There is also a strong rivalry with Pyongyang, known as "the Pyongyang Derby".

## Continental history

| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 1985–86 | Asian Club Championship | Qualifying Tournament East Asia 1 | Seiko | 4–1 | 1–2 | 2nd |
| 1985–86 | Asian Club Championship | Qualifying Tournament East Asia 1 | Liaoning | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2nd |
| 1986 | Asian Club Championship | First round group 7 | Liaoning | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 |
| 1987 | Asian Club Championship | Qualifying Round Group 5 | August 1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3rd |
| 1987 | Asian Club Championship | Qualifying Round Group 5 | Hap Kuan | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 3rd |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Qualifying Round Group 6 | South China | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1st |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Qualifying Round Group 6 | Wa Seng | 4–0 | 4–0 | | 1st |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Qualifying Round Group 6 | Guangdong Wanbao | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 1st |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Qualifying Round Group 6 | Yamaha Motors | 3–1 | 3–1 | | 1st |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Semi Final League Group B | Mohammedan | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3rd |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Semi Final League Group B | Al-Sadd | 1–2 | 1–2 | | 3rd |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Semi Final League Group B | Al-Ettifaq | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 3rd |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Semi Final League Group B | Pahang FA | 2–0 | 2–0 | | 3rd |
| 1990–91 | Asian Club Championship | Qualifying Round Group 7 | Nissan Yokohama | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1st |
| 1990–91 | Asian Club Championship | Qualifying Round Group 7 | Liaoning | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 1st |
| 1990–91 | Asian Club Championship | Group B | Esteghlal Tehran | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2nd |
| 1990–91 | Asian Club Championship | Group B | Mohammedan | 0–0 | 0–0 | | 2nd |
| 1990–91 | Asian Club Championship | Group B | Bangkok Bank | 4–3 | 4–3 | | 2nd |
| 1990–91 | Asian Club Championship | Semi Final | Liaoning | 0–3 | 0–3 | — |
| 1990–91 | Asian Club Championship | Third Place | Pelita Jaya | 2–2 (6–7 pen.) | 2–2 (6–7 pen.) | Fourth Place |
| 1991 | Asian Club Championship | Group B | Al-Hilal | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3rd |
| 1991 | Asian Club Championship | Group B | Esteghlal Tehran | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 3rd |
| 2017 | AFC Cup | Group I | Erchim | 6–0 | 5–0 | 1st |
| 2017 | AFC Cup | Group I | Kigwancha | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1st |
| 2017 | AFC Cup | Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final | Bengaluru FC | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 |
| 2018 | AFC Cup | Group I | Hwaebul SC | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1st |
| 2018 | AFC Cup | Group I | Hang Yuen | 5–1 | 5–1 | 1st |
| 2018 | AFC Cup | Group I | Benfica de Macau | 8–0 | 2–0 | 1st |
| 2018 | AFC Cup | Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final | Home United | 9–1 | 2–0 | 11–1 |
| 2018 | AFC Cup | Inter-Zone Play-off Final | Altyn Asyr | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 (a) |
| 2019 | AFC Cup | Group I | Hang Yuen | 5–0 | 0–3 | 1st |
| 2019 | AFC Cup | Group I | Kitchee | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1st |
| 2019 | AFC Cup | Group I | Tai Po | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1st |
| 2019 | AFC Cup | Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final | Dhaka Abahani | 2–0 | 3–4 | 5–4 |
| 2019 | AFC Cup | Inter-Zone Play-off Final | Hà Nội | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 (a) |
| 2019 | AFC Cup | Final | Al-Ahed | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 |

## Honours
### Domestic

* DPR Korea Premier Football League
** Winners (22): 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23
** Runners-up (2): 2014, 2016
* Hwaebul Cup
** Winners (4): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
* Man'gyŏngdae Prize
** Winners (7): 2002, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
* Paektusan Prize
** Winners (1): 2017
* Poch'ŏnbo Torch Prize
** Winners (3): 2005, 2011, 2014
* DPR Korea Championship
** Winners (3): 2001, 2006, 2011

### Continental

* AFC Cup
** Runners-up (1): 2019
* Asian Club Championship
** Fourth place (1): 1990–91

### Invitational

* DCM Trophy
** Winners (1): 1972

## Women's football

April 25's women's football team is one of the strongest women's football teams in North Korea; they have become national champions at least six times, in 2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015.

## Other sports

In addition to football, April 25 participates in dozens of different sports, including athletics, ice hockey, basketball, volleyball, and handball.

### Basketball

April 25 has fielded a basketball team. In May 2015, they came to Mongolia to assist in training the Mongolian national team as preparation of the latter's campaign at the 2013 East Asian Basketball Championship.

### Ice hockey

April 25's ice hockey team won the national championship in 1989.

### Volleyball

April 25 has both women's and men's volleyball teams. April 25 participated at the 2015 VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup, an invitational tournament in Vietnam. The North Korean club won the bronze medal defeating Vietnamese side, VTV Bình Điền Long An. Their player, Jong Jin Sim was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

#### Achievements

* VTV Bình Điền Cup: 1
       Champions: 2015
* VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup: 2
       Champions: 2008
       Third place: 2015