Casey Phair Bio
Casey Yu-Jin Phair is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a striker for Djurgården in the Swedish Damallsvenskan, on loan from Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). She also represents the South Korea national team. Phair first gained worldwide attention at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where at 16 years and 26 days old she became the youngest player ever to feature in a senior World Cup, men’s or women’s.
A Korean American who was raised in the United States, Phair was also the first multiracial footballer to play for South Korea at a World Cup. She is recognized for her finishing ability, tactical movement in the penalty area, and composure in front of goal, traits that have marked her rapid rise from youth soccer in New Jersey to the professional ranks.
Casey Phair Early Life and Background
Early Life and Background
Casey Yu-Jin Phair was born on 29 June 2007 in Anyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea, to an American father and a South Korean mother. When she was one month old, her family moved to the United States, where she spent the rest of her childhood. Phair grew up in the American soccer environment and developed much of her early game through club and school play.
Her family later settled in Warren Township, New Jersey, where she attended the Pingry School. Phair also trained at the Players Development Academy (PDA), one of the top youth soccer organizations in New Jersey. The combination of strong coaching at PDA and competitive high school soccer helped shape her technical foundation and competitive mindset.
As a freshman at Pingry in 2022, Phair scored 25 goals in 15 games and earned first-team all-conference honors, an exceptional scoring rate for a player her age. The following year, she was named the ECNL conference player of the year and earned ECNL All-American recognition for her club season with PDA. By the time she finished her youth career, she had established herself as one of the most promising young strikers in the United States.
Casey Phair Path to Soccer
Path to Soccer
Phair’s path into elite-level soccer ran through the Player Development Academy, where her goal-scoring exploits in the ECNL drew national scouting attention. Her freshman season at Pingry School, paired with her club form, made her a recognizable name in American youth soccer circles by 2022.
In March 2022, Phair received a call-up to the United States under-15 team, an early signal of her standing in the American pipeline. However, she also represented the South Korea under-17 team, which allowed her to pursue an international career with her country of birth. She contributed to South Korea’s qualification for the 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup, scoring two goals against Tajikistan and three against Hong Kong during qualifying.
Her performances at the youth international level brought her into the senior squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. That selection transformed her trajectory, putting her on the global stage and setting the stage for her eventual move into professional club soccer.
Casey Phair Career
Early Career (2022–2023)
Phair’s first notable senior-level recognition came through her international debut at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Coming on as a substitute in South Korea’s opening match against Colombia on 25 July 2023, she set the record as the youngest player ever to appear in a senior World Cup at 16 years and 26 days, surpassing the previous mark held by Ifeanyi Chiejine. She also became the first multiracial player to represent South Korea at a World Cup.
She played in all three of South Korea’s group stage matches and made her first senior start in the team’s final group game, a 1–1 draw with Germany. On 26 October 2023, she scored her first senior international goal along with her first hat-trick, in a 10–1 win over Thailand during the second round of the 2024 AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. At 16 years and 119 days old, she became the second youngest goalscorer in the history of the South Korean women’s national team, behind only Ji So-yun, and the youngest player ever to score a hat-trick for any South Korean national team, men’s or women’s.
NWSL Breakthrough with Angel City FC (2024–2025)
Following her World Cup performance, Phair trained with NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Kansas City Current, and Angel City FC. On 18 January 2024, Angel City announced that they had signed her to her first professional contract, a three-year deal under the NWSL Under-18 Entry Mechanism. She became the youngest player ever to sign with the club.
Phair made her Angel City debut on 26 July 2024, entering as a 66th-minute substitute for Messiah Bright during a 2–0 Summer Cup win over Bay FC. On 22 February 2025, she scored her first goal for the club with an 86th-minute header that secured a 1–1 preseason draw with the Seattle Reign at the Coachella Valley Invitational. She made her NWSL regular-season debut on 18 April 2025, coming on as a 76th-minute substitute for Riley Tiernan in a 4–0 loss to Gotham FC.
On 21 July 2025, Angel City signed Phair to a new three-year contract and loaned her to Swedish club Djurgården through the end of the year, allowing her to gain regular first-team minutes in the Damallsvenskan.
Driving Style and Strengths
Phair is a center forward who combines physical presence at 5 ft 10 in with intelligent off-the-ball movement. She is comfortable operating with her back to goal, finishing with her head, and timing her runs into the penalty area. Her composure in front of goal and her willingness to take on responsibility in big moments have been evident since her World Cup debut.
Notable Events and Milestones
Phair’s signature milestone is her record-setting appearance at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which established her as the youngest player ever to feature in a senior World Cup. She also holds the record as the youngest player to score a hat-trick for any South Korean national team and was a finalist for the 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup with South Korea’s under-17 side.
Casey Phair Career Wins
Club Highlights
At the club level, Phair’s verified senior results are still developing. She has recorded her first preseason goal for Angel City FC and a Summer Cup appearance in 2024, while her 2025 loan move to Djurgården in the Damallsvenskan represents her first sustained run of senior league minutes. Her club trophy cabinet is expected to grow as she accumulates first-team experience in Sweden and the NWSL.
Other Wins & Performances
Phair was a key contributor to South Korea’s qualification campaign for the 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup, finishing as a strong scorer during qualifying. She was also named to South Korea’s under-17 roster for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, marking another step in her international development. Her senior international record includes a debut hat-trick against Thailand in 2023 and appearances in the 2023 Women’s World Cup group stage.
Casey Phair Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Phair was born to an American father and a South Korean mother, a dual heritage that has shaped both her personal identity and her football journey. Her family’s decision to move to the United States when she was one month old connected her to American youth soccer development from a very young age.
Personal Life
Phair is a Korean American who has spent most of her life in the United States, having moved from South Korea as an infant. She is based in Warren Township, New Jersey, and continues to pursue her club and international career alongside her personal development. She has spoken publicly about representing both her American upbringing and her South Korean heritage on the football field.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season is shaping up as a defining year for Casey Yu-Jin Phair. She began the year with Angel City FC, scoring her first goal for the club at the Coachella Valley Invitational in February and making her NWSL regular-season debut in April. Her preseason form suggested she was pushing for a larger role in the senior squad.
On 21 July 2025, Angel City committed to Phair long-term with a new three-year contract and arranged a loan move to Djurgården of the Swedish Damallsvenskan, a top European league known for developing young attacking players. The loan was designed to give her regular first-team minutes in a competitive league environment, accelerating her growth as a senior striker.
At the international level, Phair remains a key part of the senior South Korea squad heading into 2026, building on her World Cup debut and her record-setting hat-trick against Thailand. With a stabilized club situation in Sweden, a long-term contract in Los Angeles, and continued national team duty, Phair’s outlook for the remainder of 2025 centers on consistent playing time, further goals, and a stronger push toward a starting role for both club and country.