The draw for the Second Round of the 2026-27 Hana Bank Korea Cup has been named. Here is the draw in full, and our predictions.
The winners of the 16 fixtures will advance to take on K League 1 opposition in late July.
At the time of publication, all matches were scheduled to start at 19:00 on Wednesday, July 15.
The draw in full.
Match 16: Jeonnam Dragons (K League 2) vs. Chungnam Asan (K League 2)
Gwangyang Stadium.
Jeonnam are experiencing the worst season in the club’s history. The former champions haven’t won since the opening day – that’s 15 without a win, the longest winless streak this year. Last weekend, they warmed up for the second round by shipping five in Castle Park.
Asan should be favorites, but they dropped valuable home points against Gyeongnam last time out. They remain within touching distance of the playoffs, but they need to turn those draws into wins. Incredibly hard to beat, Asan should have enough to win in Gwangyang.
Previous Meeting: Jeonnam beat Asan 3-2 in third round back in April 2023.
Prediction: Asan.
What awaits the winner? Match 17 victors, home.
Match 17: Daegu FC (K League 2) vs. Siheung Citizen (K3)
Daegu iMBank Park.
Daegu have plenty of cup pedigree, but their focus will be elsewhere this year. After dropping down to K League 2, and then starting poorly, Daegu have shown significant improvement in recent months. They are the best team in K2 right now. Earning a one-way ticket back to the top flight is the only item in their inbox.
Siheung have been competing in the cup for a decade, with very little to show for it, despite regularly featuring near the summit of K3. That changed last season, though, when they knocked out former winners Seongnam FC and then Hwaseong away. Siheung scraped through the last round. Last Saturday, they were well beaten at home by Busan Transportation.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Daegu.
What awaits the winner? Away to the winners of Match 16.
Match 18: Ulsan Citizen (K3) vs. Seoul E-Land (K League 2)
Ulsan Stadium.
Ulsan have enjoyed relative success since making their cup debut in 2019. They’ve beaten Busan IPark and Bucheon FC 1995 and, in 2022, made it as far as the Last 16. Jeonbuk Hyundai ended their run in Jeonju, but only by a slender 1-0 win. Ulsan knocked out fellow K3 side Chuncheon in the previous round.
Seoul, like several K League 2 sides, are vulnerable to an upset because their focus will be on automatic promotion this winter. They’ve never advanced beyond the Round of 16. They sat out the most recent round of games because of the odd number of clubs.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Seoul E-Land.
What awaits the winner? Ulsan HD, home.
Match 19: Cheonan City (K League 2) vs. FC Mokpo (K3)
Cheonan Stadium.
Cheonan City have recorded back-to-back single-goal losses since K League 2 returned from the World Cup break. In fact, their last win was back in May. With nothing to play for in the league, they should treat the cup with more respect this year.
Mokpo beat Gangneung on Saturday to snap a three month winless streak. They remain 13th in K3 with the lowest goals scored tally. They needed extra time to eliminate K5 opponents Anseong in the first round.
Previous Meeting: The teams faced each other in 2019, with Cheonan beating Mokpo after extra time.
Prediction: Cheonan City.
What awaits the winner? Gwangju FC, away.
Match 20: Busan Transportation (K3) vs. Suwon Samsung (K League 2)
Yangsan Stadium.
Busan were the weekend’s biggest winners in K3. They traveled to leaders Siheung and wiped the floor with the team sitting 13 points ahead of them. It ended 2-0, but 5 or 6 would not have been unfair. They disposed of K5 Gijang last time.
Suwon will not relish a midweek trip to Yangsan after a shambolic 2-1 loss in Ansan on Saturday night. Their match kicked off immeddiately after Busan’s ended down the road in Siheung. Any Busan fans who took in the doubleheader will not be overly concerned after that performance.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Suwon.
What awaits the winner? Match 22 victors, home.
Match 21: Ansan Greeners (K League 2) vs. Jinju Citizen (K4)
Wa~ Stadium.
Ansan were playing terrible football for a very long time before Suwon visited Wa. A week after losing heavily to the other Suwon outfit, there was no repeat in front of 10,000 fans. Ansan were a goal down at the break, but struck twice late on to record their first-ever win over the Bluewings.
Jinju enjoyed the week off as K4 also has an odd number of clubs. It made no difference as the runaway leaders saw their nine point gap remain intact thanks to Jincheon’s loss. Jinju have only dropped five points all season. They dumped out Sejong in the last round.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Ansan.
What awaits the winner? Match 21 victors, away.
Match 22: Chungbuk Cheongju (K League 2) vs. Gyeongju KHNP (K3)
Cheongju Stadium.
Cheongju picked up their 11th draw in 16 matches – yes, you read that correctly, after failing to hold on to a lead yet again. After winning in Mokdong before the break, it looked like a corner had been turned. But one point from six since the World Cup break has burst that balloon of optimism.
Gyeongju stayed in midtable despite a massive win over Daejeon Korail at the weekend. The middle group of K3 clubs are incapable of breaking free to enter the title race, and Gyeongju are one of them. They demolished Seosan in the previous round.
Previous Meeting: Gyeongju beat Cheongju in the Last 16 way back in 2019.
Prediction: Gyeongju.
What awaits the winner? FC Anyang, home.
Match 23: Hwaseong (K League 2) vs. Yangpyeong FC (K3)
Hwaseong Stadium.
Hwaseong are facing their first mini crisis of the Cha Du-ri era. After throwing away a potentially seismic home win over Suwon before the break, they saw their rivals for top 2 all win during Hwaseong’s break week. When they returned to action at the weekend, they lost at home to Paju.
Yangpyeong are third bottom in K3, but only three points behind Gyeongju in 8th. They recorded a rare win – just their third of the year – against bottom club Jeonbuk B. In the first round of the cup, they hammered K5 Ulsan City.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Hwaseong.
What awaits the winner? Jeju SK, away.
Match 24: Yeoju FC (K3) vs. Gyeongnam FC (K League 2)
Haman Stadium.
Yeoju are another of K3’s middle bracket that bounces around between fifth and 13th. Two wins and two defeats, with a draw, is classic K3 form, and that’s where Yeoju currently sit. Thy don’t score many goals, and they don’t concede a whole lot, either. They beat Pyeongtaek 3-1 in the first round.
Gyeongnam have bounced back into life after a truly terrible start to 2026. They drew 1-1 in Asan at the weekend, a good result against a better team that just about keeps their playoff hopes alive. Gyeongnam’s only defeat in their last seven was away to Suwon FC.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Yeoju.
What awaits the winner? Match 25 victors, home.
Match 25: Yongin FC (K League 2) vs. Dangjin Citizen (K3)
Yongin Mireu Stadium.
Yongin have finally begun to climb up the table after a poor start. The investment in their playing squad was significant enough for many observers to predict a playoff run. It hasn’t worked out, and one reason is the lack of wins – three in 16 matches. But they are 11th because they are seven without a loss.
Dangjin are sixth in K3 – closer to 13th than 4th. They were presented with a big opportunity to land a statement win over high-flying Pocheon at the weekend, but despite leading and playing against 10 men for nearly an hour, Pocheon stole a point. They beat Haman 2-0 aet in the first round.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Yongin.
What awaits the winner? Match 24 victors, away.
Match 26: Namyangju FC (K4) vs. Gimpo FC (K League 2)
Namyangju Stadium.
Namyangju are one of the rare K4 survivors in the second round, and their run should come to an end on Wednesday. They beat local-ish rivals Seoul Jungang in the last round, but league form is patchy. Namyangju are sixth, but an insurmountable 17 points off first.
Gimpo are beginning to splutter at the wrong time. Having played their first 13 matches on the road due to stadium underdevelopment, Gimpo were very much in the playoff picture. But since returning to Solteo, they’ve picked up just one point in nine. They are facing the wrong way.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Namyangju.
What awaits the winner? Incheon United, home.
Match 27: Suwon FC (K League 2) vs. Pyeongchang United (K4)
Suwon Stadium.
Suwon are in good form right now, and eyeing up a potential championship tilt after demolishing Jeonnam last Friday. It doesn’t help that their next league match is home to Seoul E-Land. That will be their target, although they should have enough to avoid a shock.
Pyeongchang are the lowest ranked side left in the competition, way down in 9th (of 13 teams) in K4. However, like Suwon, they have form – picking up 10 points from a possible 15. They were fortunate to beat K5 Yancheon TNT in the last round.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Suwon FC.
What awaits the winner? Gimcheon Sangmu, away.
Match 28: Changwon FC (K3) vs. Gimhae FC 2008 (K League 2)
Changwon Football Centre.
Changwon will pose a significant challenge to Gimhae. They were fifth in K3, and unbeaten since early May. Changwon’s problem is scoring goals – and because of that, they draw a lot of matches, including their last three. Changwon hammered Geumsan in the first round.
Gimhae have shot into life thanks to a pair of recent wins – they didn’t win any of their first 11 in K League 2. The win in Cheonan has seen them join Jeonnam Dragons on nine points, but both clubs are in danger of being cut adrift already.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Changwon
What awaits the winner? Match 29 victors, home.
Match 29: Seongnam FC (K League 2) vs. Pocheon Citizen (K3)
Tancheon Stadium.
Seongnam’s season is over after so much optimism last winter. 13th spot is no place for the former K League 1, Korea Cup, and AFC Champions League winners. The natives are restless after two straight losses and seven without a win.
Pocheon represent one of K3’s best chances of a cup shock – and to achieve that in Tancheon would be even more impressive. They are second in K3, five points behind Siheung. They haven’t lost since April. And their first round win was over K3 rivals Daejeon Korail. They are a threat.
Previous Meeting: The sides met in 2024 Korea Cup second round. Seongnam won 3-0 in Pocheon.
Prediction: Pocheon.
What awaits the winner? Match 28 victors, away.
Match 30: Busan IPark (K League 2) vs. Geoje Citizen (K4)
Gudeok Stadium.
Busan have opened up a four-point gap at the top of K League 2 thanks to Suwon’s surprising loss in Ansan, and their own victory over Gimpo on Sunday. This was a very timely result after starting to flounder either side of the break.
Geoje are the final K4 qualifier, and face a short-ish midweek trip up the coast to Gudeok. Their form hasn’t been strong in K4, but they finally snapped a three-match losing streak with a good win in Pyeongchang. They eliminated Incheon Seogot 4-0 in the first round.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Busan.
What awaits the winner? FC Seoul, home.
Match 31: Paju Frontier (K League 2) vs. FC Gangneung (K3)
Paju Stadium.
Paju returned to winning ways after a four-match losing streak was brought to an end in Hwaseong. In fact, it was their first victory since April. This was a surprising result given Hwaseong’s form all season.
Gangneung have endured a horrid three weeks since winning against Ulsan away. Three matches, three defeats, and 10 goals conceded is not the form they want heading across the peninsula. Their first round opponents were Jecheon.
Previous Meeting: This is the first meeting between these clubs.
Prediction: Paju.
What awaits the winner? Bucheon FC 1995, away.
We will have an in-depth preview for the next round, too.
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