Incheon United vs. FC Seoul Preview: The Gyeongin Derby Returns

The Gyeongin Derby is back, and with Incheon United returning to the top flight as K League 2 champions, the energy at Sungui Arena Park this coming Saturday will be electric. Tickets are close to selling out at the time of writing for the season opener against FC Seoul, with the match already being earmarked as one of the biggest draws of the season. With the stakes high and the atmosphere building, what can we expect on Saturday?

Narrative

When speaking to the press during the team's preseason camp in Spain, Incheon manager Yoon Jong-hwan discussed the playing style that Incheon will use this season: “It won't be significantly different from last season—we aim to maintain a dominant style of play with a high degree of ball possession.” Last season, opponents typically allowed Incheon to maintain possession in their own third, and even into midfield, with most teams opting for a low block when facing Incheon’s formidable front line. Incheon’s defenders were offered plenty of time on the ball and were rarely pressured; however, from this season, that is unlikely to be the case. 

This sets the stage for an interesting opening game—and season—as K League 1 teams are unlikely to offer Incheon that same luxury. Preseason results haven't particularly gone Incheon’s way; despite a reporting ban, defeats to Austrian outfit Wolfsberger and MLS’s Vancouver Whitecaps have been confirmed.

[READ: Incheon United Season Preview] 

FC Seoul have already kicked off their campaign, playing two AFC Champions League Elite fixtures this month. The first was a 2-0 defeat to Vissel Kobe in Japan, followed by a 2-2 draw with Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Seoul E-Land’s Mokdong Stadium. In the opening game, Seoul ceded a lot of possession, although neither they nor Kobe managed many shots on target. The second game told a different story; Seoul started brightly, scoring two first-half goals through Patryk Klimala and Naoto Arai. 

However, the hosts could not hold on, conceding two injury-time goals to allow Hiroshima to take a point back to Japan. Following the match, Seoul manager Kim Ki-dong stated that his team were looking to implement new tactics and suggested the late goals were due to a lack of judgement rather than complacency. Incheon will hope for similar lapses in concentration and judgement this weekend.

It is likely to be a cagey affair as both managers will want to start the league season with a win, but there seems to be more at stake for Kim Ki-dong. Under pressure since last year regarding his handling of the Ki Sung-yueng transfer and Seoul’s failure to secure continental football, anything less than a win against Incheon could trigger further backlash from the supporters. 

[READ: FC Seoul Season Preview] 

New Faces

Incheon’s squad has undergone a major revamp, with around twenty players departing since the end of the 2025 season. Among the high-profile exits are vice-captain Kim Do-hyeok (Gimpo FC), Shin Jin-ho (Yongin FC), Harrison Delbridge (Melbourne City), and Min Seong-jun (Seoul E-Land). 

Incheon have strengthened with three foreign signings: Juan Ibiza, who joins from Thai giants Buriram United; midfielder Iker Undabarrena, arriving from Johor Darul Ta’zim in Malaysia; and English striker Morgan Ferrier, who brings experience from spells in Israel, Thailand, and Cyprus. As with many overseas arrivals, the speed and success of their adaptation to K League could shape Incheon’s early-season success. Incheon will need immediate impact given the difficult opening run of fixtures. 

Among the domestic additions, two stand out: towering defender Jeong Tae-wook and winger Oh Hu-seong. Jeong spent last season on loan at FC Seoul but managed only four appearances. His permanent move from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors represents a significant coup and a clear statement of intent from Incheon, while also offering the ideal platform for the defender to reinvigorate his career after inconsistent recent seasons. Oh, meanwhile, was a key figure for Gwangju, featuring in 33 matches (15 starts) and recording four goals and four assists. Now 26, he is entering his prime and will be expected to build on those numbers in blue and black. 

[LISTEN: 2026 K League 1 Team Guide & Season Preview]

For FC Seoul, arguably the most vital piece of business was securing the contract renewal of Jordanian defender Yazan Al-Arab, who committed his future despite reported lucrative offers from overseas. He is joined by Leonardo Ruiz, arriving after a prolific 2025 campaign at Seongnam in which he scored 18 goals. Goalkeeper Gu Sung-yun has made the cross-city switch from Seoul E-Land, while Spanish defender Juan Antonio Ros has been recruited from Tianjin Jinmen Tiger.

Following Jesse Lingard’s departure in December, Seoul have turned to Song Min-kyu to assume the role of creative linchpin. The former Jeonbuk man recorded five goals and two assists last season — decent returns, but he will need to double that output to match the 14 goal contributions Lingard provided in 2025.

Key Duels

Incheon's front line of Stefan Mugosa and Gerso Fernandes found goals easy to come by last season in K League 2, with Mugosa's 20 goals securing him a second consecutive Golden Boot and Gerso taking home the K League 2 MVP award for 2025. But this year the duo will be up against it to repeat last year's success in attack. 

In this weekend's game, Seoul expect Yazan Al-Arab to return to the heart of the Seoul defence, having missed the club's Asian Champions League Elite games earlier in the month. As a result, we will see a physical match-up between two experienced international players in Mugosa and Yazan. With Mugosa's commanding aerial presence and Yazan Al-Arab’s physicality, set pieces at both ends could be decisive. Given the prospect of this derby being typically combative, it will be interesting to see how both players handle the pressure and the occasion. 

Coverage

Fans in Korea can watch Saturday's game on JTBC Sports or via Coupang Play. Fans outside will be able to tune into K League TV, with kick-off at 2pm KST.