| Full name | April 25 Sports Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded |
| ||
| Stadium | Kim Il Sung stadium,Pyongyang | ||
| Capacity | 50,000 | ||
| Owner | Ministry of People's Armed Forces | ||
| Chairman | Ri Mun-song | ||
| Manager | O Yun-son | ||
| League | DPR Korea Premier Football League | ||
| 2023–24 | 1st of 12 (Champions) | ||
| April 25 Sports Club | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 4.25체육단 |
|---|---|
| Hancha | 4.25體育團 |
| Revised Romanization | Sa io cheyukdan |
| McCune–Reischauer | Sa io ch'eyuktan |
April 25 Sports Club (Korean:4.25체육단,Sa io ch'eyuktan), shortly4.25 SC, also known asApril 25 National Defence Sports Club (4.25'국방체육단',Sa io "Kukpang ch'eyuktan"), is amulti-sports club based inPyongyang,North Korea, primarily known for its men's and women'sfootball teams. The club belongs to theMinistry of People's Armed Forces;[1] all members of the professional teams (male and female) are consideredofficers of theArmy.
The club was established in March 1947[2] or July 1949[3] as theCentral Sports Training School Sports Club (중앙체육강습소체육단,Chung'ang ch'eyukkangsŭpso ch'eyukdan).
On 25 June 1971[4][5] or 26 June 1972,[6] 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 theKorean People's Army, was formed on 25 April 1932.[7] (Until 1977, the originalKPA's officialdate of establishment was 8 February 1948. However, in 1978, it was changed to 25 April 1932. This change was reverted in 2018.)[8][9]
The men's football team plays in theDPR Korea Premier Football League, and is the most successful club side in the country, having won 22 national championships.[10] April 25's home stadium is theYanggakdo Stadium. In international club competition, home matches are usually played at theKim 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.[11]
4.25 reached the final of the2019 AFC Cup. They lost the final againstAl-Ahed fromLebanon. The final took place inKuala Lumpur. 4.25 reached the final after a goalless draw againstHanoi FC from Vietnam. The2019 AFC Cup knockout stage game took place at theKim Il-sung Stadium inPyongyang 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 the2019 AFC Cup.
February 8 Sports Club and April 25 Sports Club have many similarities, but the North KoreanMinistry of People's Armed Forces operates both sports clubs separately.[12][13] The 2017 editions of thePaektusan Prize and theMangyongdae Prize were won by April 25 Sports Club, withFebruary 8 Sports Club finishing in second place.[14]
April 25's primary rival isAmnokgang. Amnokgang belongs to theMinistry of People's Security, and the professional rivalry between theMilitary and thePolice carries over onto the sports field. There is also a strong rivalry withPyongyang, known as "the Pyongyang Derby".

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.[11][25]
In addition to football, April 25 participates in dozens of different sports, includingathletics,ice hockey,basketball,volleyball, andhandball.[26]
April 25 has fielded a basketball team. In May 2015, they came to Mongolia to assist in training theMongolian national team as preparation of the latter's campaign at the2013 East Asian Basketball Championship.[27]
April 25's ice hockey team won thenational championship in 1989.[28]
April 25 has both women's and men's volleyball teams.[29][30] April 25 participated at the2015 VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup, an invitational tournament inVietnam. 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.[29]