53-year-old Cheongju Eumho High football club faces dissolution

The football club of Eumho High School in Cheongju, a program with a 53-year history, is on the brink of being disbanded. This comes at a time when the team is achieving notable success, including qualifying for the National High School Football League Championship for the first time, making the potential closure particularly poignant for the football community.

The fate of the Eumho High School football club will be decided by the Chungbuk Provincial Office of Education's School Sports Promotion Committee, with a meeting expected either at the end of this month or early next month. The school had previously considered disbanding the club last year but postponed the decision for one year, citing student career considerations.

Chungbuk Cheongju FC, the professional club that has been nurturing Eumho High School as its U-18 team, is now facing an urgent situation. Unlike many K League professional clubs that integrate their affiliated high school teams, Chungbuk Cheongju FC has only supported and developed Eumho High School since 2024. If the club is dissolved, the current 27 players could continue under the FC's club system, but recruiting new players would become difficult.

Eumho High School has a history of producing notable players, including national team members like Won Du-jae and Hwang Seok-ho. Recent successes, such as reaching the quarterfinals of a championship and qualifying for the King of the Tournament, have added to the regret surrounding the potential disbandment. A representative from the club expressed hope for a solution that would prevent harm to the players, emphasizing the structured support and operation provided by Chungbuk Cheongju FC that led to their recent achievements.