FA Cup (South Korea) 2026/27

The Korea Cup serves as the primary domestic football cup competition in South Korea. Organized by the Korea Football Association, the tournament operates as a year-long single-elimination knockout event. Its format distinguishes it from the defunct K League Cup, which was restricted to professional clubs only. The Korea Cup remains the only active national cup open to amateur and professional clubs alike across the five-tier league system.

The competition currently features approximately 59 teams. It begins in March with early rounds for lower-division amateur and semi-professional teams. K League 2 and K3 teams enter in the second round, while top-flight K League 1 sides join in the third round. The tournament concludes with a single-match final held in December. The winner qualifies for the AFC Champions League Elite and plays in the K League Super Cup against the league champions.

Since its inception in 1996 under the name Korean FA Cup, the competition has undergone significant structural changes. A major reform in 2006 shifted the event from a short, post-season tournament to its current format. In 2024, the competition was renamed the Korea Cup to distinguish it from the English FA Cup and other global competitions with similar names. It remains sponsored by Hana Bank, currently titled the Hana Bank Korea Cup.

Pohang Steelers and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors are the most successful clubs in the modern era, both holding six titles each. Pohang Steelers won the most recent edition in 2024, defeating Ulsan HD 3–1 in the final. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors has claimed titles in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2020, 2022, and 2025.