The national men's soccer team will compete in the finals of the East Asian Football Championship from July 31st against North Korea, China and Japan.

South Korea won the inaugural competition in 2003 and is hosting the finals this year in Daegu of North Gyeongsang Province, Daejeon of South Chungcheong Province and Jeonju of North Jeolla Province.

The domestic cheering squad "Red Devils" and "Ultra Nippon" from an ethnic Korean organization in Japan will back the national team. But the female touring fans of North Korea are unlikely to attend the event.

China will also send its rabid fan corps "Chiumi" and have the support of the 22,000 ethnic Chinese living in South Korea.

The round-robin competition will heat up immediately after the opening ceremony as North Korea faces Japan at Daejeon World Cup Stadium. South Korea will play China on the same .

The women's competition will begin on August 1st and feature the same four teams.