Why has Lee Young-jun not joined Korea’s Asian Games football squad yet?

Lee Young-jun’s Swiss club had not released him as of Monday. A KFA official said the delay stemmed from confusion between the association and Grasshopper after a recent leadership change at the club.

When is Lee Young-jun expected to arrive for the Asian Games group stage?

He is expected to join just before Korea’s second Group D match against Saudi Arabia on Sept. 22. That means he may miss the opening match against Qatar in Nagoya.

How is Korea preparing for the Asian Games without Lee Young-jun at the start?

Coach Lee Min-sung said the team had prepared for the possibility of Lee’s absence and would use the group stage to build chemistry and organization. He also noted that eight other squad members play in Europe, making quick team cohesion difficult.

Swiss-based forward late to join nat'l football team, expected during group stage

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Summary

Grasshopper forward Lee Young-jun has not yet joined Korea’s men’s football squad for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in central Japan. He was called up in July, but his Swiss club had not released him as of Monday, the eve of Korea’s first Group D match against Qatar in Nagoya. Korea Football Association officials expect him to arrive before the second Group D match against Saudi Arabia on Sept. 22.

Key Facts

Lee Young-jun is 23 and plays for Grasshopper, and the KFA called him up to the 23-man Asian Games squad in July.
Korea opened Group D against Qatar at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Rugby Field in Nagoya.
An official said Lee will likely join the team just before the second Group D match against Saudi Arabia on Sept. 22.
The coach said there had been some confusion between the KFA and Grasshopper after a recent leadership change at the Swiss club.
Lee Min-sung said Korea will use its group-stage matches to get more organized as a team.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 14, 2026 1:20 pm KST

Lee Young-jun of Korea salutes after scoring a goal in FIFA's U-20 World Cup group stage game against France at Mendoza, Argentina, May 23, 2023. Yonhap

In Korea's buildup to the men's football tournament at the Asian Games in central Japan this month, Grasshopper forward Lee Young-jun has been conspicuous by his absence.

Lee, 23, was called up to the 23-man squad by head coach Lee Min-sung for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in July. But the player's Swiss club had not yet released the forward as of Monday, the eve of Korea's first Group D match against Qatar at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Rugby Field in Nagoya.

The 193-centimeter striker with a nose for the goal is expected to be a major offensive weapon for Korea as they chase their fourth consecutive gold medal. According to an official with the Korea Football Association (KFA), though, Lee will likely not join the team until just before the second Group D match against Saudi Arabia on Sept. 22.

The official explained that there had been some confusion between the KFA and Grasshopper regarding Lee's release, following a recent leadership change at the Swiss club.

Lee Min-sung himself described the situation as "having a bit of an issue" without divulging much but insisted the rest of the team had been prepared for the possibility of Lee Young-jun's absence in the days before the Asian Games.

"Obviously, it would be the best-case scenario if Young-jun can come to us as soon as possible," the coach said at his pretournament press conference in Nagoya. "However, if we are affected by the absence of just one player, then that means we cannot become a strong team."

In addition to Lee Young-jun, eight other players on the Asian Games squad ply their trade in Europe.

"With national teams, it is always difficult to build chemistry quickly because players are coming in from all over the world," coach Lee said. "These issues will become even worse as more and more players sign with European clubs. We just have to adjust to these changing times. Here, we will use our group stage matches to get more organized as a team."

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