Korea Cup (domestic)
.svg) | |
| Organiser(s) | Korea Football Association |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Region | South Korea |
| Qualifier for | AFC Champions League Elite AFC Champions League Two K League Super Cup |
| Current champions | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2025) |
| Most championships | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Pohang Steelers (6 titles each) |
| Website | www |
 2026–27 Korea Cup | |
The Korea Cup (Korean: 코리아컵), formerly the Korean FA Cup, is a national football cup knockout competition of South Korea, held annually by the Korea Football Association (KFA). Before the competition was established in 1996, three similar tournaments named All Joseon Football Championship (1935–1940), Korean National Football Championship (1946–2000) and Korean President's Cup (1952–2009) were played. It was renamed Korea Cup in 2024,[1] with the winners qualifying for the AFC Champions League Elite (if they finish top four in the K League 1) or the AFC Champions League Two (if they finish outside the top four in the K League 1).[2]
History
[edit]The All Joseon Football Championship was founded by the Joseon Football Association (currently KFA) in 1935, during Japanese rule in Korea.[3] It was abolished in 1940 by the Japanese government which entered World War II.[3][4]
After the liberation of Korea, the KFA founded the National Football Championship and the President's Cup, entered by many semi-professional clubs and amateur clubs from all over South Korea. They opened in spring and late autumn each. The two competitions declined after the founding of the K League, because professional clubs did not take part in it. There were several attempts to get professional clubs to join the tournament,[5] and it became so successful that in the 1988 and 1989 seasons many top clubs joined the National Championship, temporarily renamed the "FA Cup".[6] However, it soon reverted to semi-professional status in 1990 due to a conflict between the KFA and professional clubs at the time. The professional clubs did not enter the championship after claiming the KFA had neglected to invigorate the K League.[7][8]
The KFA made the Korean FA Cup separately for every club in 1996. It was renamed the Korea Cup in 2024 to be distinguished from English FA Cup.[3]
Format
[edit]1996–2005
[edit]The Korean FA Cup took place after the end of the regular K League season, and was usually completed over a short period. Games were played in a single-elimination format, with extra time and penalties if required. K League sides were seeded in the first round of the tournament proper, but all matches were played at neutral venues, such as Gimcheon and Namhae.
2006–present
[edit]To elevate the status of the tournament, matches were spread throughout the year. The 2006 edition, for example, started in early March, with rounds also held in April, July, August and November. The final was played in December. As in previous years, the competition was contested in a straight knockout format.
Sponsorship
[edit]| Sponsor | Season | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| None | 1996–1997 | FA Cup |
| TG Sambo | 1998 | Sambo Change Up FA Cup |
| 1999 | Sambo Computer FA Cup | |
| Seoul Bank | 2000–2001 | Seoul Bank FA Cup |
| 2002 | Hana-Seoul Bank FA Cup | |
| Hana Bank | 2002 | |
| 2003–2015 | Hana Bank FA Cup | |
| 2015–2019 | KEB Hana Bank FA Cup | |
| 2020–2021 | Hana Bank FA Cup | |
| 2022–2023 | Hana 1Q FA Cup | |
| 2024–present | Hana Bank Korea Cup |
Results
[edit]Finals
[edit]Titles by club
[edit]In accordance with the official K League policy, the current clubs inherit the history and records of the predecessor clubs.[9]
| Club | Champions | Runners-up | Seasons won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pohang Steelers | 6 |
3 |
1996, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2023, 2024 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 6 |
3 |
2000, 2003, 2005, 2020, 2022, 2025 |
| Suwon Samsung Bluewings | 5 |
3 |
2002, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2019 |
| Jeonnam Dragons | 4 |
1 |
1997, 2006, 2007, 2021 |
| Seongnam FC | 3 |
3 |
1999, 2011, 2014 |
| FC Seoul | 2 |
3 |
1998, 2015 |
| Ulsan HD | 1 |
4 |
2017 |
| Busan IPark | 1 |
2 |
2004 |
| Daegu FC | 1 |
1 |
2018 |
| Daejeon Citizen | 1 |
0 |
2001 |
Awards
[edit]Most Valuable Player
[edit]
Top goalscorer
[edit]- Only goals since the round of 16 count in the rankings (the round of 32 until 2019, and the third round between 2020 and 2024).[10][11][12]
- If multiple players become top goalscorers, the player who has played the fewest matches receive the award. If still tied, the player with fewer minutes played receive the award.[13] Until 2015, a maximum of two players could become co-winners of the award, and it was not presented when three or more players became top goalscorers.[14]
- Until 2019, the award was not presented when no one scored more than three goals (two goals until 2007).[12]
References
[edit]- ↑ Jee-ho, Yoo (22 February 2024). "(LEAD) Top nat'l football tournament renamed Korea Cup". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
- ↑ FA컵 명칭 <코리아컵>으로 변경 --- 결승전은 서울에서 단판승부로 (in Korean). KFA. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
- 1 2 3 코리아컵(FA컵)의 뿌리를 찾아서 (in Korean). KFA. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
- ↑ 大韓蹴球協會 편 『韓國蹴球百年史』라사라, p.163-166, p.220-226.
- ↑ 내년부터 축구의 "王中王(왕중왕)" 「FA컵대회」신설. Naver. Kyunghyang Shinmun. 15 November 1981. Retrieved 26 May 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ FA컵축구 15일개막 프로•실업등42팀참가. Naver. Kyunghyang Shinmun. 10 November 1988. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- ↑ "프로구단이 협회 좌지우지"표류하는「전국 축구선수권」. Naver (in Korean). The Dong-A Ilbo. 10 November 1990. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ 大宇아마팀 출전 축구선수권. Naver (in Korean). Maeil Business Newspaper. 30 November 1990. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "The Official K-League Almanac" (in Korean). K-League editorial division.
- ↑ 2025 하나은행 코리아컵 운영규정 (PDF) (in Korean). KFA. p. 9. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ↑ 2024 하나은행 코리아컵 운영규정 (PDF) (in Korean). KFA. p. 17. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- 1 2 2019 KEB하나은행 FA CUP 운영규정 (PDF) (in Korean). KFA. p. 11. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ↑ 2016 하나은행 FA CUP 운영규정 (PDF) (in Korean). KFA. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
- ↑ [FA CUP FINAL] 득점상 올해도 ‘꽝?’ (in Korean). Maeil Business Newspaper. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
External links
[edit]- Official website (in Korean)
- South Korea – List of Cup Winners at RSSSF
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