| Korea Cup | |
| Region: | South Korea |
| Confed Cup: | AFC Champions League Two |
| Current Champions: | Pohang Steelers (2023) |
| Most Successful Club: | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Pohang Steelers Suwon Samsung Bluewings (5 titles each) |
| Current: | 2024 Korean FA 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, two similar tournaments named All Joseon Football Tournament (1921–1940) and Korean National Football Championship (1946–2000) 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]
See main article: List of Korean FA Cup winners. The All Joseon Football Tournament was founded by the Joseon Sports Council in 1921, during Japanese rule in Korea. Youth, student and adult football clubs from various provinces participated. After 1934, it became a part of the Korean National Sports Festival, which was the championship for various sports games and matched Koreans against other sports championships operated by Japanese who lived in Korea. The Joseon Sports Council was disbanded in 1937, due to the Japanese government's oppression, and the Joseon Football Association (currently KFA) succeeded it after 1938, but was cancelled after 1940 for the same reason during 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 National Football Championship declined after the founding of the K League, because professional clubs and famous players didn't take part in it. There were several efforts to make professional clubs join the tournament,[5] and it became so successful that many top-rank clubs joined the championship, renamed "FA Cup", during 1988 and 1989 season.[6] However, it soon returned to a semi-professional tournament in 1990, because of discord between the KFA and professional clubs. The current FA Cup separated from the National Championship in 1996, and two competitions merged again since 2001. The President's Cup was also abolished in 2010.
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 1st round of the tournament proper, but all matches were played at neutral venues, such as Gimcheon and Namhae.
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.
| 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 1Q Korea Cup |
See also: List of Korean FA Cup winners.
