Summary
The K League 1 (KOR1) is the top level of league-style football competition in South Korea. At the end of the 2020 KOR1 season, the KOR1 teams listed below qualify for the following non-league play:
- 2021 AFC Champions League - Group Stage:
- 1st place 2020 KOR1 team from the Championship group
- 2021 AFC Champions League - Playoff Round:
- 2nd and 3rd place 2020 KOR1 teams from the Championship group
The winner of the 2020 Korean FA Cup, typically a KOR1 team, also receives a berth in the Group Stage of the 2021 AFC Champions League.
Due to COVID-19, the 2020 Regular Season was modified to each team playing the other teams twice instead of 3 times. Furthermore, instead of a Relegation Playoff, Sangju Sangmu FC is changing their home city and will be relegated regardless of final table position.
Leagues Pyramid - Korea Republic
| Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
|---|---|---|
| KOR1 | K League 1 | 12 |
| KOR2 | K League 2 | 10 |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
| Regular 8 May 2020 - 20 Sep 2020 | Champ/Releg Rounds 26 Sep 2020 - 1 Nov 2020 | 12: KOR1 (10 minimum), KOR2 (2 maximum) | |
Season Format
In the 2020 KOR1 Regular season, each KOR1 team plays the other 11 KOR1 teams 3 times for a total of 33 league matches. In each 3 match series, one team hosts 2 home matches and the other team hosts 1 home match. After the Regular season, the top 6 teams play each other once in the Championship Group (5 more matches), and the bottom 6 teams play each other once in the Relegation Group (5 more matches). Table ranking ties are broken by (1) goals scored, (2) goal difference, (3) league matches won, then (4) head-to-head points.
Playoffs
Not applicable.
Relegation
At the end of the 2020 Relegation Group play, the 6th place KOR1 Relegation Group team is relegated directly to KOR2. The 5th place KOR1 Relegation Group team will have a Home-Away Promotion/Relegation Playoff with the 2nd place KOR2 team. The winner of this playoff plays in the 2021 KOR1 and the loser plays in the 2021 KOR2.
More Info...
Championship/Relegation Rounds
| League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Jeonbuk Motors | 27 | 19 -3-5 | 60 | - | 46 | 21 | 25 | 14 | 11 -1-2 | 34 | 25 | 9 | 16 | 13 | 8 -2-3 | 26 | 21 | 12 | 9 |
| 2 | Ulsan Hyundai FC | 27 | 17 -6-4 | 57 | - | 54 | 23 | 31 | 14 | 8 -4-2 | 28 | 25 | 8 | 17 | 13 | 9 -2-2 | 29 | 29 | 15 | 14 |
| 3 | Pohang Steelers | 27 | 15 -5-7 | 50 | - | 56 | 35 | 21 | 14 | 8 -3-3 | 27 | 30 | 21 | 9 | 13 | 7 -2-4 | 23 | 26 | 14 | 12 |
| 4 | Sangju Sangmu FC | 27 | 13 -5-9 | 44 | - | 34 | 36 | -2 | 13 | 9 -1-3 | 28 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 14 | 4 -4-6 | 16 | 16 | 24 | -8 |
| 5 | Daegu FC | 27 | 10 -8-9 | 38 | - | 43 | 39 | 4 | 13 | 6 -3-4 | 21 | 29 | 22 | 7 | 14 | 4 -5-5 | 17 | 14 | 17 | -3 |
| 6 | Gwangju FC | 27 | 6 -7-14 | 25 | - | 32 | 46 | -14 | 13 | 2 -4-7 | 10 | 13 | 20 | -7 | 14 | 4 -3-7 | 15 | 19 | 26 | -7 |
| Relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Gangwon FC | 27 | 9 -7-11 | 34 | - | 36 | 41 | -5 | 14 | 5 -3-6 | 18 | 22 | 24 | -2 | 13 | 4 -4-5 | 16 | 14 | 17 | -3 |
| 2 | Suwon Bluewings | 27 | 8 -7-12 | 31 | - | 27 | 30 | -3 | 13 | 3 -3-7 | 12 | 16 | 19 | -3 | 14 | 5 -4-5 | 19 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 3 | FC Seoul | 27 | 8 -5-14 | 29 | - | 23 | 44 | -21 | 14 | 5 -3-6 | 18 | 13 | 17 | -4 | 13 | 3 -2-8 | 11 | 10 | 27 | -17 |
| 4 | Seongnam FC | 27 | 7 -7-13 | 28 | - | 24 | 37 | -13 | 14 | 2 -3-9 | 9 | 8 | 24 | -16 | 13 | 5 -4-4 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 3 |
| 5 | Incheon United | 27 | 7 -6-14 | 27 | - | 25 | 35 | -10 | 13 | 3 -3-7 | 12 | 9 | 17 | -8 | 14 | 4 -3-7 | 15 | 16 | 18 | -2 |
| 6 | Busan I'Park FC | 27 | 5 -10-12 | 25 | - | 25 | 38 | -13 | 13 | 2 -7-4 | 13 | 11 | 13 | -2 | 14 | 3 -3-8 | 12 | 14 | 25 | -11 |
AFCCL Relegation to KOR2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
1st Stage
| League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1 | Ulsan Hyundai FC | 22 | 15 -5-2 | 50 | - | 45 | 15 | 30 | 11 | 6 -4-1 | 22 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 11 | 9 -1-1 | 28 | 27 | 9 | 18 |
| 2 | Jeonbuk Motors | 22 | 15 -3-4 | 48 | - | 38 | 19 | 19 | 11 | 9 -1-1 | 28 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 11 | 6 -2-3 | 20 | 19 | 12 | 7 |
| 3 | Pohang Steelers | 22 | 11 -5-6 | 38 | - | 41 | 28 | 13 | 11 | 5 -3-3 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 1 | 11 | 6 -2-3 | 20 | 23 | 11 | 12 |
| 4 | Sangju Sangmu FC | 22 | 11 -5-6 | 38 | - | 29 | 27 | 2 | 11 | 8 -1-2 | 25 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 3 -4-4 | 13 | 13 | 17 | -4 |
| 5 | Daegu FC | 22 | 8 -7-7 | 31 | - | 36 | 31 | 5 | 11 | 5 -2-4 | 17 | 24 | 18 | 6 | 11 | 3 -5-3 | 14 | 12 | 13 | -1 |
| 6 | Gwangju FC | 22 | 6 -7-9 | 25 | - | 28 | 32 | -4 | 11 | 2 -4-5 | 10 | 13 | 18 | -5 | 11 | 4 -3-4 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 1 |
| 7 | FC Seoul | 22 | 7 -4-11 | 25 | - | 19 | 37 | -18 | 11 | 5 -2-4 | 17 | 11 | 13 | -2 | 11 | 2 -2-7 | 8 | 8 | 24 | -16 |
| 8 | Gangwon FC | 22 | 6 -6-10 | 24 | - | 27 | 36 | -9 | 11 | 3 -3-5 | 12 | 16 | 20 | -4 | 11 | 3 -3-5 | 12 | 11 | 16 | -5 |
| 9 | Seongnam FC | 22 | 5 -7-10 | 22 | - | 19 | 26 | -7 | 11 | 1 -3-7 | 6 | 6 | 16 | -10 | 11 | 4 -4-3 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 3 |
| 10 | Suwon Bluewings | 22 | 5 -6-11 | 21 | - | 20 | 26 | -6 | 11 | 2 -3-6 | 9 | 12 | 16 | -4 | 11 | 3 -3-5 | 12 | 8 | 10 | -2 |
| 11 | Busan I'Park FC | 22 | 4 -9-9 | 21 | - | 21 | 31 | -10 | 11 | 2 -6-3 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 2 -3-6 | 9 | 10 | 20 | -10 |
| 12 | Incheon United | 22 | 4 -6-12 | 18 | - | 15 | 30 | -15 | 11 | 2 -3-6 | 9 | 7 | 15 | -8 | 11 | 2 -3-6 | 9 | 8 | 15 | -7 |
Championship Round Relegation Round | ||||||||||||||||||||
Results
 | 31 | Sangju Sangmu FC | Pohang Steel Yard |
 | 20 | Daegu FC | Jeonju World Cup Stadium |
 | 30 | Gwangju FC | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
 | 21 | Busan I'Park FC | Tancheon Sports Complex |
 | 12 | Suwon Bluewings | Chuncheon Songam Stadium |
 | 01 | Incheon United | Sangam Stadium |
| 01 | Jeonbuk Motors | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
| 01 | Sangju Sangmu FC | Gwangju World Cup Stadium |
| 32 | Pohang Steelers | DGB Arena (Daegu) |
| 21 | Busan I'Park FC | Incheon Football Stadium |
| 11 | Gangwon FC | Sangam Stadium |
| 12 | Seongnam FC | Suwon World Cup Stadium |
| 40 | Ulsan Hyundai FC | Pohang Steel Yard |
| 41 | Gwangju FC | Jeonju World Cup Stadium |
| 00 | Suwon Bluewings | Busan Gudeok Stadium |
| 01 | FC Seoul | Tancheon Sports Complex |
| 21 | Daegu FC | Sangju Civic Stadium |
| 31 | Incheon United | Alpensia Ski Jumping Stadium |
| 01 | Suwon Bluewings | Incheon Football Stadium |
| 12 | Busan I'Park FC | Sangam Stadium |