WK League News

The basics

Full team name: Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s Football Club
Established: 1993 (as Incheon Steel Women’s Football Club)
Home ground: Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field
Manager: Hur Jeongjae
Leadership team: Kim Minjung (captain)

The 2025 season

WK League: 3rd place (48 points, 13W 9D 6L)
National Women’s Football Championship: Knocked out in group stage
National Sports Festival: Knocked out in semi-finals by Mungyeong Sangmu
2024-25 AFC Women’s Champions League: Knocked out in semi-finals by Melbourne City

What went well: Under newly appointed manager Hur Jeongjae, Incheon played consistently well enough to finish in third and qualify for the championship playoff match, an improvement on their 2024 performance and a step towards a return to their past glory. The Red Angels particularly excelled in defence and goalkeeping, with only champions Hwacheon KSPO conceding fewer goals. They proved particularly hard to beat at home, only losing twice at the Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field.

What didn’t go well: Incheon’s attacking output could not match its defensive stability. They scored far fewer goals than the other teams in the top half of the table: 35, compared with 56 for Hwacheon, 48 for Seoul, and 47 for Gyeongju. A few more goals could have turned some of Incheon’s 0-0 and 1-1 draws into wins that would have given them valuable points in the playoff race, and perhaps even put them in regular league title contention. Incheon also fell short of their ambitions at the 2024-25 AWCL, losing out in the semi-finals and drawing criticism for allegedly snubbing fans who had travelled to China to support them.

2026 squad

Out: Lee Deokju, Kim Sungmi, Lee Sohee (Gangjin Swans); Choi Jina, Kim Jungmi, Lim Seonjoo, Kang Yejin, Park Ye-eun (Incheon Hyundai); Oh Yeonhee (Sejong Sportstoto); Choe Yuri, Haruhi Suzuki (Suwon FC); Kim So-eun (Western Sydney Wanderers); Seo Jiyeon (FA)
In: Jang Yoobin, Maeng Dahee, Chun Garam (Hwacheon KSPO); Kang Jiwoo, Park Mideum, Kim Soojin, Park Hyejung (Sejong Sportstoto); Kim Eunsol (Seoul City); Jo Mijin (Suwon FC); Cho Eojin (Ulsan College); Hong Chaebin (Korea University); Fiona Worts (Adelaide United)
Returning players: Sung Seoulseorabol, Kim Minjung, Ko Yoojin, Moon Hayeon, Yoon Hye-in, Lim Hee-eun, Jung Yoojin, Kim Myungjin, Kim Minseo, Bae Yebin, Namgung Yeji, Park A-hyeon, Yuka Toriumi

What to expect

Aims: Onwards and upwards. After the indignity of a fourth place finish in 2024 (the team’s worst ever WK League finish, following eleven consecutive titles), Incheon were back in the playoff last year, but nobody could reasonably argue that they were more deserving than Seoul of a chance at the title. This year the Red Angels should be aiming to finish in the top three more convincingly and assert themselves early on as title contenders.

Key players: Defender Ko Yoojin has been on outstanding form, not only at club level but also with South Korea’s national team since returning to the squad last year. She led the team out as captain at the Asian Cup and was the only player from neither champions Japan nor runners-up Australia to be named in the Team of the Tournament, voted for by footballers across the continent. Ko is a solid and reliable presence in defence and she represents continuity at Incheon as one of few remaining players from the club’s most recent title-winning squad. Among her younger teammates is Kim Myungjin, a pacy midfielder who joined the club last year as the overall first pick at the WK League new players draft and made an impact early in the season, scoring the winning goal in Incheon’s AWCL quarter-final against Iranian side Bam Khatoon. Kim will play a more important role at Incheon as the squad undergoes a generational shift.

Why to watch: Incheon is the oldest and most decorated club in the WK League and integral to the history of women’s football in South Korea. Despite the recent dip in performance, the Incheon shirt still weighs heavy on the shoulders of its players and staff. After a fall from grace, the Red Angels are on the rise again, with an almost completely revamped squad — only six current Incheon players were with the club to lift the WK League trophy in 2023. Will 2026 be the year that Incheon Hyundai return to the podium?