Gangwon FC

Gangwon Province's governor Kim Jin-sun announced a schedule for the foundation of the 15th professional football club to participate in the K League on 28 April 2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.segye.com/Articles/NEWS/SPORTS/Article.asp?aid=20080428003310&subctg1=&subctg2=|title=K리그 15구단 '강원FC' 창단|date=2008-04-28|publisher=Segye Ildo|language=ko|access-date=19 May 2009|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414050934/http://www.segye.com/newsView/20080428003310|url-status=live}} A committee, the "Foundation of Football Club in Gangwon Preparation Committee", was organized on 18 June 2008 to facilitate the foundation.{{cite news|url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=001&aid=0002135771|script-title=ko:강원도민 프로축구단 창단준비위|date=2008-06-18|access-date=2009-05-19|publisher=Yonhap|language=ko|archive-date=28 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230728181320/https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/001/0002135771?sid=102|url-status=live}} Preparations had advanced sufficiently that by 17 November 2008, 14 players had joined Gangwon FC in a first nomination. On 20 November 2008, Gangwon FC organized its first full squad, a total of 23 players, including nine players from the 2009 K League draft.{{cite web|url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=107&oid=003&aid=0002388606|title=<종합>숭실대 임경현, 전체 1순위로 부산아이파크行...약 31% 지명돼|date=2008-11-20|access-date=2008-11-25|publisher=Newsis|archive-date=3 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203021827/http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=107&oid=003&aid=0002388606|url-status=live}} Gangwon FC was formally founded on 18 December 2008 in time to enter the 2009 edition of the K League.

Gangwon FC played its first ever K League match against Jeju United on 8 March 2009, at Gangneung Stadium, winning 1–0 with a decisive goal from Yoon Jun-ha. The team continued their winning start with a further four victories on the trot and causing a sensation in the first half of the 2009 K League season.{{cite news|url=http://www.kwnews.co.kr/nview.asp?s=701&aid=209062900099 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904105505/http://www.kwnews.co.kr/nview.asp?s=701&aid=209062900099 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-04 |title=강원FC 돌풍 이유 있다 |date=2009-06-30 |publisher=Gangwon Ilbo }} Gangwon was unable to maintain their initial success, and by round 19 had fallen into the lower half of the league table. By the conclusion of their first season in the K League, they placed 13th among 15 clubs.

In the 2009 Korean FA Cup, Gangwon entered the competition in the round of 32 and defeated their first opponent Incheon Korail FC in a penalty shoot-out after a 2–2 draw. They then faced the Chunnam Dragons, losing 1–0. In the 2009 Korean League Cup, Gangwon finished bottom of their group with only a single win (against Daejeon Citizen).

Gangwon FC had a difficult season in 2010, even though first striker Kim Young-hoo scored 13 goals in the league. The club finished 12th out of 15 clubs. The 2011 season was the worst season since its establishment. Gangwon finished last in the league and the entire team only scored 14 goals in thirty matches.

In the 2012 season, K League imposed a new promotion-relegation structure: bottom two teams in the top-tier league were to be relegated to second division. In the 43rd round, Gangwon managed to remain in the top-tier with Baek Jong-hwan's decisive goal that won the away game against Seongnam Ilhwa, avoiding relegation by one point.{{cite news |url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=087&aid=0000415696 |title=강원FC 1부리그 잔류 확정 |date=29 November 2012 |access-date=4 December 2012 |work=Gangwon Ilbo |publisher=Naver |language=ko |archive-date=28 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230728181339/https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/087/0000415696?sid=102 |url-status=live }}

In the 2013 season of K League Classic, the first season in which K League implemented automatic relegation of the bottom two teams and the third from the bottom team having to play in the promotion-relegation playoffs against the champion of the K League Challenge, Gangwon finished the season third from last and subsequently relegated to the K League Challenge after losing to Sangju Sangmu Phoenix over two legs in the playoffs.{{cite news |url=http://sports.mk.co.kr/view.php?no=1248097&year=2013 |script-title=ko:강제강등에서 첫 승격까지, 역사가 된 상주상무 |language=ko |publisher=MK Sports |date=2013-12-07 |access-date=15 February 2014 |archive-date=27 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627202944/http://sports.mk.co.kr/view.php?no=1248097&year=2013 |url-status=live }}

Halfway through the 2018 season, on 12 August 2018, Kim Byung-soo was appointed as new head coach, leading the club to eighth place in the K League 1.{{cite news |title=[오피셜] 강원, 신임 감독에 김병수 강화부장 선임... 송경섭 감독 계약해지 |url=https://www.sportalkorea.com/news/view.php?gisa_uniq=2018081200291913§ion_code=10&cp=se&gomb=1 |work=No 1. 축구전문 콘텐츠 기업 스포탈코리아 |date=12 August 2018 |language=ko |access-date=29 March 2022 |archive-date=14 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614150831/https://www.sportalkorea.com/news/view.php?gisa_uniq=2018081200291913§ion_code=10&cp=se&gomb=1 |url-status=live }}

The following season, Kim Ji-hyeon was awarded K League Young Player of the Year, as Gangwon finished sixth in the league table. In his first full campaign in 2019, manager Kim Byung-soo earned praise for pushing an entertaining brand of football dubbed "Byung-soo ball." That year, Gangwon led the K League in ball possession, pass attempts, pass completion percentage and forward pass completion percentage, while finishing third in goals.{{cite news |last1=Yoo |first1=Jee-ho |title=In danger of relegation, Gangwon FC fire head coach |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211104004600315 |work=Yonhap News Agency |date=4 November 2021 |language=en |access-date=29 March 2022 |archive-date=14 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614150832/https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211104004600315 |url-status=live }}

Focusing on defensive reinforcements prior to the 2020 season, which was the team's main weaknesses the previous season, Kim Byung-soo recruited Lim Chai-min, Shin Se-gye and Kim Young-bin, among others. With a 2–1 victory at home against Seongnam on 4 October 2020, Gangwon secured the top spot in the Final B and secured survival in the K League 1.{{cite news |title=새 시즌 준비 강원FC, 올해도 돌풍 이어갈까 |url=http://www.kado.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=1005283 |work=강원도민일보 |date=11 January 2020 |language=ko |access-date=29 March 2022 |archive-date=14 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614150830/http://www.kado.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=1005283 |url-status=live }}

In the lead-up to the 2021 season, players such as Masatoshi Ishida, who had been a mainstay of Suwon the season before, Sin Chang-moo, who was at the heart of Daegu's attack, and national team players Yun Suk-young, Rim Chang-woo and Uzbekistani player Rustam Ashurmatov were recruited.{{cite news |title=새 멤버 존재감 빛난 1차 전훈…새 시즌 더 기대되는 강원FC |url=http://www.kwnews.co.kr/nview.asp?aid=221013100129 |work=강원일보 홈페이지 |date=1 February 2021 |language=ko |access-date=29 March 2022 |archive-date=7 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207182121/http://www.kwnews.co.kr/nview.asp?aid=221013100129 |url-status=live }} On 21 March 2021, they won their home game against Incheon United with a 2–0 victory to make it their first win in the first six games of the season. On 3 November 2021, in serious danger of suffering relegation to the K League 2 after a humiliating 4–0 loss against Pohang Steelers, Kim Byung-soo was removed from his position. Under his successor, Choi Yong-soo, Gangwon managed to stay up in the top division after beating Daejeon Hana Citizen over two legs in the relegation play-offs.{{cite news |title=Gangwon FC rally past Daejeon to avoid K League relegation |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/sports/2021/12/600_320405.html |work=The Korea Times |date=12 December 2021 |language=en |access-date=29 March 2022 |archive-date=14 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614192954/https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/sports/2021/12/600_320405.html |url-status=live }}

In the 2024 K League 1 season, the club achieved a record-high ranking after finishing as league runners-up behind champions Ulsan HD. The impressive performance of Gangwon was in part thanks to K League Young Player of the Year Award winner Yang Min-hyeok, who was signed by Tottenham Hotspur after the season.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-29 |title=Gangwon's teen phenom Yang Min-hyeok voted top rookie in 2024 K League 1 season |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/sports/2024/12/600_387351.html |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=The Korea Times}}

{{updated|22 April 2025}}{{cite web |title=선수단 |url=https://gangwon-fc.com/squad/player |website=gangwon-fc.com |publisher=Gangwon FC |access-date=22 April 2025 |language=ko}}{{cite web |title=𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝙎𝙌𝙐𝘼𝘿 𝙉𝙐𝙈𝘽𝙀𝙍𝙎 |url=https://www.instagram.com/gangwon_fc/p/DFEil_KT6Wb/ |via=Instagram |publisher=Gangwon FC |access-date=23 January 2025|date=21 January 2025}}

{{Fs start}}

{{Fs player|no=1|nat=KOR|name=Lee Gwang-yeon|pos=GK|other=vice-captain}}

{{Fs player|no=5|nat=KOR|name=Choi Han-sol|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=6|nat=KOR|name=Kim Dong-hyun|pos=MF|other=captain}}

{{Fs player|no=8|nat=KOR|name=Kang Yun-gu|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=9|nat=CRO|name=Franko Kovačević|pos=FW|other=on loan from SV Wehen Wiesbaden}}

{{Fs player|no=10|nat=BRA|name=Vitor Gabriel|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=11|nat=CRO|name=Mario Ćuže|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=13|nat=KOR|name=Lee Ki-hyuk|pos=DF|other=vice-captain}}

{{Fs player|no=14|nat=KOR|name=Kim Dae-woo|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=15|nat=KOR|name=Jin Jun-seo|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=17|nat=KOR|name=Cho Jin-hyuk|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=18|nat=KOR|name=Kim Kang-kook|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=19|nat=KOR|name=Kim Gyeong-min|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=20|nat=KOR|name=Jo Hyun-tae|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=21|nat=KOR|name=Park Cheong-hyo|pos=GK}}

{{Fs player|no=22|nat=KOR|name=Lee Sang-heon|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=23|nat=MNE|name=Marko Tući|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=24|nat=KOR|name=Park Ho-young|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=25|nat=KOR|name=Choi Jeong-hoon|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=26|nat=KOR|name=Kim Min-jun|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=27|nat=KOR|name=Kim Do-hyun|pos=FW}}

{{Fs mid}}

{{Fs player|no=28|nat=KOR|name=Won Hui-do|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=30|nat=KOR|name=Jeong In-jeung|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=31|nat=KOR|name=Hong Jin-hyeok|pos=GK}}

{{Fs player|no=32|nat=KOR|name=Yoo Byung-heon|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=33|nat=KOR|name=Hong Chul|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=34|nat=KOR|name=Song Jun-seok|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=35|nat=KOR|name=Kim Tae-hwan|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=36|nat=KOR|name=Hwang Eun-chong|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=37|nat=KOR|name=Jeong Seung-bin|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=38|nat=KOR|name=Park Su-hwan|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=39|nat=KOR|name=Lee Ji-ho|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=41|nat=KOR|name=Kim Yu-seong|pos=GK}}

{{Fs player|no=47|nat=KOR|name=Shin Min-ha|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=70|nat=KOR|name=Goo Bon-cheul|pos=MF|other=on loan from Seongnam FC}}

{{Fs player|no=71|nat=KOR|name=Cho Min-kyu|pos=GK}}

{{Fs player|no=73|nat=KOR|name=Yun Il-lok|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=77|nat=KOR|name=Sung Gi-wan|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=95|nat=KOR|name=Kim Hyeong-jin|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=96|nat=KOR|name=Choi Byeong-chan|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=97|nat=KOR|name=Lee You-hyeon|pos=MF|other=vice-captain}}

{{Fs player|no=99|nat=KOR|name=Kang Jun-hyuk|pos=DF}}

{{Fs end}}

{{Fs start}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Hwang Mun-ki|pos=DF|other=to Pyeongchang United for military service until September 2026}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Lee Dong-jin|pos=DF|other=to Sejong SA FC until the end of the 2025 season}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Kim Yi-seok|pos=MF|other=to Gimcheon Sangmu for military service until October 2026}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Lee Seung-won|pos=MF|other=to Gimcheon Sangmu for military service until October 2025}}

{{Fs mid}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Seo Min-woo|pos=MF|other=to Gimcheon Sangmu for military service until June 2025}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Kim Dae-won|pos=FW|other=to Gimcheon Sangmu for military service until June 2025}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Park Sang-hyeok|pos=FW|other=to Gimcheon Sangmu for military service until October 2025}}

{{Fs end}}

On 13 September 2010, Gangwon FC U-12 team was established in Gangneung. On 2 November 2011, Gangwon FC made an agreement with Gangneung Jeil High School (under-18 team) and Jumunjin Middle School (under-15 team).

On 1 February 2021, it was officially announced that Gangwon would be the first fully professional team to found a reserve team set to play in the semi-professional K4 League, in order to give their youth players and/or other registered members of the senior team more playing time. The main condition for them would be to have at least seven out of eleven players in the starting formation aged 23 or younger.{{Cite web|title=K3·K4리그 대표자회의 개최...3월 7일 개막|url=https://www.kfa.or.kr/layer_popup/popup_live.php?act=news_tv_detail&idx=22225&div_code=news&check_url=bGF5ZXI=|access-date=2021-02-02|website=www.kfa.or.kr|language=en|archive-date=9 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209002559/https://www.kfa.or.kr/layer_popup/popup_live.php?act=news_tv_detail&idx=22225&div_code=news&check_url=bGF5ZXI=|url-status=live}} Lee Seul-gi, who had previously served as first-team coach for Gangwon, was appointed as the manager of the newly established U23 squad.

Coaching staff

• Manager: {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung Kyung-ho
• Assistant manager: Vacant
• First-team coach: {{flagicon|KOR}} Choi Hyo-jin, {{flagicon|KOR}} Song Chang-ho
• Goalkeeping coach: {{flagicon|KOR}} Jeon Sang-wook

Executive office

• Chairman: Gangwon Province governor
• President
• {{flagicon|South Korea}} Kim Won-dong (11 November 2008 – 22 July 2011){{cite web|url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=107&oid=139&aid=0001945526|title=프로聯 김원동 사무총장, 강원FC 초대 사장 선임|date=2008-11-11|access-date=2008-11-25|publisher=SpotalKorea|language=ko|archive-date=28 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230728181324/https://sports.naver.com/news?oid=139&aid=0001945526|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=003&aid=0002379403|title=김원동 강원FC 사장 내정자, 이사회에서 대표이사 선임|date=2008-11-14|access-date=2008-11-25|publisher=Newsis|language=ko|archive-date=28 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230728181301/https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/003/0002379403?sid=102|url-status=live}}
• {{flagicon|South Korea}} Nam Jong-hyun (22 August 2011 – 19 September 2012){{cite web|url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=107&oid=001&aid=0005223305|title=강원FC 대표이사에 남종현 ㈜그래미 회장 선임|date=2011-08-22|access-date=2011-08-24|work=Yonhap|publisher=Naver|language=ko|archive-date=28 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230728181306/https://sports.naver.com/news?oid=001&aid=0005223305|url-status=live}}
• {{flagicon|South Korea}} Kim Deok-rae (caretaker) (14 December 2012 – 28 May 2013){{cite web|url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=107&oid=073&aid=0002204234|script-title=ko:강원 남종현사장 사표 수리, 임시대표 선임|date=2012-12-14|access-date=2013-02-03|work=Sports Seoul|publisher=Naver|language=ko|archive-date=28 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230728181306/https://sports.naver.com/news?oid=073&aid=0002204234|url-status=live}}
• {{flagicon|South Korea}} Im Eun-ju (29 May 2013 – 31 December 2015){{cite web|url=http://sports.news.naver.com/sports/index.nhn?category=k_league&ctg=news&mod=read&office_id=001&article_id=0006285165|title=강원FC 신임 대표 임은주...프로구단 첫 여성 수장(종합)|date=2013-05-29|access-date=2014-05-24|work=Yonhap News|publisher=Naver|language=ko|archive-date=28 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230728181749/https://sports.news.naver.com/news?oid=001&aid=0006285165|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://gangwon-fc.com/news/4856|title=강원FC 임은주 대표이사 사퇴 발표|date=2015-12-09|access-date=2023-06-27|publisher=Gangwon FC|language=ko|archive-date=27 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627071403/https://gangwon-fc.com/news/4856|url-status=live}}
• {{flagicon|South Korea}} Jo Tae-ryong (4 March 2016 – 30 October 2018){{cite web|url=https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/087/0000602787?sid=102|title=강원FC 대표이사에 조태룡 단장 내정|date=2016-03-05|access-date=2023-06-27|work=Gangwon Ilbo|publisher=Naver|language=ko|archive-date=27 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627071403/https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/087/0000602787?sid=102|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.besteleven.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=102933|title=강원 FC, 조태룡 대표이사 사퇴 발표|date=2018-10-22|access-date=2023-06-27|work=Best Eleven|publisher=|language=ko|archive-date=27 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627071405/https://www.besteleven.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=102933|url-status=live}}
• {{flagicon|South Korea}} Han Won-seok (caretaker) (31 October 2018 – 31 December 2018){{cite web|url=https://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N1004995916|title=조태룡 강원 FC 대표 사임 의결…대행체제로 남은 시즌 운영|date=2018-10-31|access-date=2024-11-26|work=SBS|publisher=|language=ko}}
• {{flagicon|South Korea}} Park Jong-wan (1 January 2019 – 31 December 2020){{cite web|url=https://www.gangwon-fc.com/news/40365|title=강원FC, 주주총회 및 이사회 열어 박종완 대표이사 선임|date=2018-12-28|access-date=2024-11-26|work=Gangwon FC|language=ko}}
• {{flagicon|South Korea}} Lee Young-pyo (1 January 2021 – 31 December 2022){{cite web|url=https://www.gangwon-fc.com/news/221212|title='2002 한일 월드컵 영웅' 이영표, 강원FC 대표이사 선임|date=2020-12-22|access-date=2024-11-26|work=Gangwon FC|language=ko}}
• {{flagicon|South Korea}} Kim Byung-ji (1 January 2023 – present){{cite web|url=https://www.gangwon-fc.com/news/221902|title=강원FC, 제9대 김병지 대표이사 취임식 및 2023년 시무식 진행|date=2023-01-02|access-date=2024-11-26|work=Gangwon FC|language=ko}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gangwon-fc.com/news/222499|title='강원 동화' 강원FC, 김병지 대표이사와 재계약 발표|date=2024-11-22|access-date=2024-11-26|work=Gangwon FC|language=ko}}

League

• K League 1
• Runners-up (1): 2024

;Key

• SF = Semi-final
• QF = Quarter-final
• R16 = Round of 16
• R32 = Round of 32
• GS = Group stage

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Gangwon FC}}

• {{official website|https://gangwon-fc.com/}} {{in lang|ko}}

{{Gangwon FC}}

{{K League}}

Category:K League 2 clubs

Category:Sport in Gangwon Province, South Korea

Category:Association football clubs established in 2008

Category:2008 establishments in South Korea

Category:K League 1 clubs