2026 AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup: Meet the South Korean Team Competing for Glory in Thailand!

Photo: Korea Football Association

[Sports Today reporter Lee Sang-pil] The Korea Football Association (KFA) on March 13 announced the 23-player South Korea U-20 women’s roster for the 2026 AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup. The tournament runs April 1–18 in Bangkok, Thailand.

After finalizing the squad, the U-20 women’s team will depart Incheon Airport on March 14 for a training camp in Hainan, China, where they will train through March 25 before flying to Bangkok on March 26 for the tournament. South Korea were drawn into Group B with North Korea, Uzbekistan and Jordan; they open against Uzbekistan on April 2, meet Jordan on April 5 and close the group stage against North Korea on April 8.

Held every two years, the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup expands to 12 teams for this edition after previously featuring eight. The field is split into three groups of four for the group stage. The top two teams from each group (six teams), along with the two best third-place teams, will advance to an eight-team knockout bracket to decide the champion.

The tournament also serves as Asia’s qualifying competition for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland this September, with the top four teams earning World Cup berths. South Korea are two-time champions (2004, 2013) and finished fourth at the most recent edition in Uzbekistan in 2024.

The 23-player roster includes two overseas-based defenders: Nam Seung-eun (Albirex Niigata, Japan) and Oh Dan-bi (UNSW FC, Australia). Nam broke into the U-20 World Cup squad two years ago as an 18-year-old and joined Albirex Niigata last year. Oh, who is of mixed heritage and is known in English as Katia Clement, has a Korean mother and is based in Sydney; she signed with UNSW FC this year. UNSW FC is affiliated with the University of New South Wales and its women’s team competes in the NPL NSW, the state’s top league. Oh was invited to the women’s U-20 team’s Australia training camp last year and participated in training sessions and scrimmages.

Aside from Nam and Oh, 19 members of the 23-player roster play for university teams and two are currently in high school. The two high schoolers are goalkeeper Kim Chae-bin (Gwangyang Girls’ High School) and midfielder Kim Min-seo (Ulsan Hyundai High School). Kim Chae-bin was born in 2008, and Kim Min-seo in 2009.

Head coach Park Yun-jung, who was appointed to lead the women’s U-20 team in July of last year, will continue in his role. Park guided the team to the Round of 16 at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia, establishing his credentials, and he was named the AFC Coach of the Year in 2023. He has worked across the national team setup, including on the senior women’s coaching staff, bringing extensive experience and leadership.

The women’s U-20 team secured qualification for this Asian Cup by winning all three matches in their qualifying group in Laos last August. Since then, the squad has worked on cohesion and tactics through domestic and Australian training camps.

▲ 2026 AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup roster (23 players)
GK : Wi Hye-bin (Korea University), Kim Gyu-rin (Ulsan College of Science), Kim Chae-bin (Gwangyang Girls’ High School)
DF : Jung Da-bin (Uideok University), Nam Seung-eun (Albirex Niigata, Japan), Oh Dan-bi (UNSW FC, Australia), Kang Hye-sook, Maeng Hee-jin (both Gangwon Provincial College), Cheon Si-woo (Ulsan College of Science), Yoon A-young (Dankook University)
MF : Han Min-seo, Jin Hye-rin (both Korea University), Choi Joo-hong (Daekyeung College), Kim Min-seo (Ulsan Hyundai High School), Park Ji-yu (Ulsan College of Science)
FW : Lee Ha-neul, Park Ga-yeon, Park Joo-ha (all Daekyeung College), Lee Ha-eun, Seo Min-jung (both Ulsan College of Science), Lee Ha-eun, Han Che-rin (both Uideok University), Cho Hye-young (Korea University)

[Sports Today reporter sports@stoo.com]
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