The draw for the Third 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 12 fixtures will advance to take on the remaining K League 1 clubs in mid-August.
At the time of publication, all matches were scheduled to start at 19:00, 19:30, or 20:00 on Wednesday, July 29.
The draw in full.
🏆 Match 36
Chungnam Asan (K League 2) 🆚 Siheung Citizen (K3)
📍 Yi Sun-sin Stadium. 19:00.
📈 Form Guide
Chungnam Asan’s unexpected playoff challenge has faded dramatically after two narrow defeats in consecutive weeks and a draw in Gyeongnam. That leaves them eight, seven points from the playoffs.
Siheung stay top despite also suffering back-to-back losses in K3. Their lead has been cut to four points. With promotion off the table, Siheung should be looking to advance in this competition.
🤝 Previous Meeting
This is their first meeting.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Chungnam Asan: Round of 16, 2021.
- Siheung Citizen: Round of 16, 2025.
🔮 Prediction
Siheung Citizen ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will host Daejeon Hana Citizen in the Round of 16.
Match 37
Ulsan Citizen (K3) 🆚 Ulsan HD (K League 1)
📍 Ulsan Stadium. 19:00.
📈 Form Guide
Ulsan Citizen are down to 11th in K3 following a loss to Chuncheon. Ulsan knocked Chuncheon out of the Korea Cup in the previous round. They have won just five of 18 matches this season, and 40% of those victories have come inside the last month.
Ulsan HD may have secured a massive – and timely – win in Seoul on Sunday, but their K League 1 challenge is over after a terrible run of results. They are 4th, 11 points off first.
🤝 Previous Meeting
This is their first meeting.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Ulsan Citizen: Round of 16, 2022.
- Ulsan HD: Champions, 2017.
🔮 Prediction
Ulsan HD ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will host the winner of Match 38 in the Round of 16.
Match 38
Gwangju FC (K League 1) 🆚 Cheonan City (K League 2)
📍 Gwangju World Cup Stadium. 19:00.
📈 Form Guide
A cup run is all Gwangju can look forward to before their inevitable participation in the relegation-promotion playoffs. After 20 league matches, they have one win thus far, and that came on the second weekend.
They should be able to taste a rare victory at home to Cheonan City who have now lost four on the bounce. Cheonan came out second best in a seven goal thriller at Mokdong on Friday, to leave them well below the playoffs.
🤝 Previous Meeting
This is their first meeting.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Gwangju FC: Finalists, 2025.
- Cheonan City: Round of 16, 2015 and 2018.
🔮 Prediction
Gwangju ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will travel to the winner of Match 37 in the Round of 16.
Match 39
Busan Transportation (K3) 🆚 Jinju Citizen (K4)
📍 Yangsan Stadium. 19:00.
📈 Form Guide
Busan Transportation were the big winners in the second round, eliminating previous champions Suwon Samsung. That midweek win followed a big three points in Siheung. Last weekend, they kept the running streak going against Yangpyeong.
Jinju have dominated K4 all season, and another win last weekend – their fifth on the bounce – has opened a nine point lead. Jinju have dopped five points all season, and won in Ansan in the second round.
🤝 Previous Meeting
This is their first meeting.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Busan Transportation: Quarter-finals, 2022.
- Jinju Citizen: Third round, 2024.
🔮 Prediction
Jinju Citizen ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will travel to Pohang Steelers in the Round of 16.
Match 40
Chungbuk Cheongju (K League 2) 🆚 FC Anyang (K League 1)
📍 Cheongju Stadium. 19:30.
📈 Form Guide
Cheongju are creeping up the table after finally remembering how to win matches. One defeat in five is a good run, but the team is still massively inconvenienced by draws – at the weekend, they recorded their 12th in 18 matches.
Anyang are the form team in the top flight after three wins and a draw in four sees them in fifth, just three points behind defending champions Jeonbuk Hyundai in second. Their away form is also very strong, which should ensure progression here.
🤝 Previous Meeting
Anyang beat Cheongju 5-4 in April 2013.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Chungbuk Cheongju: Round of 16, 2024.
- FC Anyang: Round of 16, 2025.
🔮 Prediction
FC Anyang ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will host the winner of Match 41 in the Round of 16.
Match 41
Jeju SK (K League 1) 🆚 Hwaseong FC (K League 2)
📍 Jeju World Cup Stadium. 19:30.
📈 Form Guide
Jeju are another club finding form at the right time. Having started slowly, Jeju haven’t lose since May, and last weekend won late in Gwangju. Top six is a possibility, a great achievement after narrowly avoiding relegation.
Hwaseong are hoping to join Jeju in K League 1 next year. They are unlikely title contenders, but need to be taken seriously. Back-to-back wins mean Hwaseong are just five adrift of first.
🤝 Previous Meeting
This is their first meeting.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Jeju SK: Finalists, 2004.
- Hwaseong FC: Semi-finals, 2019.
🔮 Prediction
Jeju SK ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will travel to the winner of Match 40 in the Fourth Round.
Match 42
Yeoju FC (K3) 🆚 Dangjin Citizen (K3)
📍 Icheon Stadium. 19:30.
📈 Form Guide
This K3 derby moves to Icheon for the third round. Yeoju are midtable in their division, trading wins for losses for draws all season.
Dangjin have jumped six points clear of Yeoju thanks to a great run of three wins and two draws in five. After meeting Yeoju in the cup, Dangjin’s next league opponents are – you guessed it – Yeoju.
🤝 Previous Meeting
This is their first meeting.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Yeoju: Second round, 2025.
- Dangjin Citizen: Third round, 2023.
🔮 Prediction
Dangjin ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will host Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the Round of 16.
Match 43
Incheon United (K League 1) 🆚 Gimpo FC (K League 2)
📍 Incheon Football Stadium. 19:00.
📈 Form Guide
Incheon picked up a valuable late point at home to Bucheon at the weekend. A defeat would have seen them drop out of the top six. Jeju’s resurgence poses a significant threat to their Final A ambitions.
Gimpo have become familiar with road trips in 2026 because of ongoing work at their Solteo Stadium. A promotion charge looked likely before the World Cup, however no wins in five means the gap to the final playoff spot is now five points.
🤝 Previous Meeting
This is their first meeting.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Incheon United: Finalists, 2015.
- Gimpo FC: Quarter-finals, 2024.
🔮 Prediction
Incheon United ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will host the winner of Match 44 in the Round of 16.
Match 44
Gimcheon Sangmu (K League 1) 🆚 Suwon FC (K League 2)
📍 Gimcheon Stadium. 19:00.
📈 Form Guide
Gimcheon experienced a very rare home league last weekend, to leapfrog Bucheon into 10th. It doesn’t help their survival chances, because they’re already relegated. A cup run is all they can look forward to.
Suwon were brilliant on Saturday night, beating fellow K League 2 title hopefuls Daegu 2-1. A pair of first-half headed goals proved to be enough, despite a late penalty concession. With a derby looming, Suwon will gladly sacrifice a cup run for promotion.
🤝 Previous Meeting
This is their first meeting.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Gimcheon Sangmu: Semi-finals, 2014 and 2019.
- Suwon FC: Quarter-finals, 2013.
🔮 Prediction
Gimcheon Sangmu ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will travel to the winner of Match 43 in the Round of 16.
Match 45
Gimhae FC 2008 (K League 2) 🆚 Seongnam FC (K League 2)
📍 Gimhae Stadium. 20:00.
📈 Form Guide
Four points from six represents Gimhae’s best run of 2026. The gap to Jeonnam in 16th remains three points. Earlier this summer, Gimhae played their first-ever league match in Seongnam, and left with a deserved draw.
This has been another atrocious season in Tancheon. Seongnam are 10th, with promotion dreams ending a long time ago. A defeat in Gimhae to end a cup run will be met with understandable outrage.
🤝 Previous Meeting
This is their first meeting.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Gimhae FC: Quarter-finals, 2018.
- Seongnam FC: Champions, 1999, 2011, and 2014.
🔮 Prediction
Seongnam ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will travel to Gangwon FC in the Round of 16.
Match 46
Busan IPark (K League 2) 🆚 FC Seoul (K League 1)
📍 Gudeok Stadium. 19:00.
📈 Form Guide
The league leaders in 1 and 2 meet in Gudeok, but without the pre-Cup boast they were hoping for. Busan were slaughtered by Suwon Samsung, as their decline looks to be hitting a critical stage.
Seoul’s march towards a first title in a decade hit a bump on Sunday when Ulsan won 3-1 in Sangam. Their lead has been cut to 9, but none of their rivals can sustain a winning run.
🤝 Previous Meeting
Busan defeated Seoul on penalties in the quarter-finals of the 2017 Korea Cup.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Busan IPark: Champions, 2004.
- FC Seoul: Champions, 1998 and 2015.
🔮 Prediction
FC Seoul ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will host the winner of Match 47 in the Round of 16.
Match 47
Bucheon FC 1995 (K League 1) 🆚 Paju Frontier (K League 2)
📍 Bucheon Stadium. 19:00.
📈 Form Guide
Bucheon can’t find a win now. They were always likely to struggle in K League 1, but a combination of a fast start and Gwangju’s significant struggles means they are likely to be safe.
After a brilliant start to the season, Paju are dropping positions, and are currently 14th. They’ve had two good results recently – beating Hwaseong and drawing in Big Bird, but losing at home to Ansan Greeners is not ideal preparation.
🤝 Previous Meeting
This is their first meeting.
🏆 Best Korea Cup Finish
- Bucheon FC: Semi-finals, 2016 and 2025.
- Paju Frontier: Round of 16, 2019.
🔮 Prediction
Bucheon FC ✔️
➡️ What’s Next?
The winner will travel to the winner of Match 46 in the Round of 16.
Leave a Reply