
Summary
The 2025 K League 1 (KOR1) is the top level of league-style football competition in South Korea. At the end of the 2025 KOR1 season, the KOR1 teams listed below qualify for the following non-league play:
- 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite- Group Stage:
- 1st place 2025 KOR1 Championship group team
- 2026-2027 AFC Champions Elite League - Playoff Round:
- 2nd place 2025 KOR1 Championship group team
- 2026-2027 AFC Champions League 2 - Group Stage:
- 3rd place 2025 KOR1 Championship group team
The winner of the 2025 Korean FA Cup, typically a KOR1 team, also receives a berth in the Group Stage of the 025-2026 AFC Champions League 2.
Leagues Pyramid - Korea Republic
Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
---|---|---|
KOR1 | K League 1 | 12 |
KOR2 | K League 2 | 14 |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
Regular 14 Feb 2025 - 18 Oct 2025 | Champ/Releg Rounds 21 Oct 2025 - 3 Dec 2025 | 12: KOR1 (9 minimum), KOR2 (3 maximum) |
Season Format
In the 2025 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 2025 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, and the 4th place KOR1 Relegation Group team will have a Home-Away Promotion/Relegation Playoff with the KOR2 Promotion Playoff winner.
More Info...
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 | Jeonbuk Motors | 32 | 20 -8-4 | 68 | - | 55 | 27 | 28 | 16 | 9 -5-2 | 32 | 29 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 11 -3-2 | 36 | 26 | 11 | 15 |
2 | Gimcheon Sangmu FC | 32 | 16 -7-9 | 55 | - | 52 | 33 | 19 | 17 | 10 -3-4 | 33 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 6 -4-5 | 22 | 24 | 19 | 5 |
3 | Daejeon Citizen FC | 32 | 14 -10-8 | 52 | - | 45 | 40 | 5 | 15 | 7 -4-4 | 25 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 7 -6-4 | 27 | 28 | 23 | 5 |
4 | Pohang Steelers | 32 | 14 -6-12 | 48 | - | 38 | 42 | -4 | 17 | 9 -2-6 | 29 | 21 | 22 | -1 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 17 | 20 | -3 |
5 | FC Seoul | 32 | 11 -12-9 | 45 | - | 42 | 40 | 2 | 16 | 6 -6-4 | 24 | 26 | 21 | 5 | 16 | 5 -6-5 | 21 | 16 | 19 | -3 |
6 | Gangwon FC | 32 | 11 -10-11 | 43 | - | 30 | 34 | -4 | 17 | 5 -8-4 | 23 | 17 | 20 | -3 | 15 | 6 -2-7 | 20 | 13 | 14 | -1 |
7 | Gwangju FC | 32 | 11 -9-12 | 42 | - | 34 | 38 | -4 | 16 | 5 -4-7 | 19 | 18 | 20 | -2 | 16 | 6 -5-5 | 23 | 16 | 18 | -2 |
8 | FC Anyang | 32 | 11 -6-15 | 39 | - | 38 | 40 | -2 | 16 | 6 -4-6 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 16 | 5 -2-9 | 17 | 16 | 21 | -5 |
9 | Suwon FC | 32 | 10 -8-14 | 38 | - | 48 | 51 | -3 | 16 | 7 -4-5 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 4 | 16 | 3 -4-9 | 13 | 23 | 30 | -7 |
10 | Ulsan Hyundai FC | 32 | 9 -10-13 | 37 | - | 37 | 43 | -6 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 17 | 4 -6-7 | 18 | 18 | 25 | -7 |
11 | Jeju United FC | 32 | 8 -8-16 | 32 | - | 34 | 44 | -10 | 16 | 6 -3-7 | 21 | 20 | 21 | -1 | 16 | 2 -5-9 | 11 | 14 | 23 | -9 |
12 | Daegu FC | 32 | 6 -8-18 | 26 | - | 39 | 60 | -21 | 15 | 4 -4-7 | 16 | 19 | 22 | -3 | 17 | 2 -4-11 | 10 | 20 | 38 | -18 |
Championship Round Relegation Round |
Fixtures
![]() | Gwangju FC![]() | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
![]() | Pohang Steelers![]() | Sangam Stadium |
![]() | Jeju United FC![]() | Daejeon World Cup Stadium |
![]() | Suwon FC![]() | Jeonju World Cup Stadium |
![]() | Gangwon FC![]() | DGB Daegu Bank Park |
![]() | Gimcheon Sangmu FC![]() | Anyang Stadium |
Results
![]() | 11 | FC Anyang![]() | Chuncheon Songam Stadium |
![]() | 13 | Daejeon Citizen FC![]() | Pohang Steel Yard |
![]() | 30 | Ulsan Hyundai FC![]() | Gimcheon Stadium |
![]() | 23 | Daegu FC![]() | Gwangju World Cup Stadium |
![]() | 11 | Jeonbuk Motors![]() | Jeju World Cup Stadium |
![]() | 00 | Gwangju FC![]() | Anyang Stadium |
![]() | 34 | Suwon FC![]() | Jeju World Cup Stadium |
![]() | 11 | Jeonbuk Motors![]() | Sangam Stadium |
![]() | 11 | Ulsan Hyundai FC![]() | DGB Daegu Bank Park |
![]() | 20 | Pohang Steelers![]() | Gimcheon Stadium |
![]() | 00 | Daejeon Citizen FC![]() | Chuncheon Songam Stadium |
![]() | 10 | Jeju United FC![]() | Pohang Steel Yard |
![]() | 30 | Gwangju FC![]() | Sangam Stadium |
![]() | 10 | Gangwon FC![]() | Suwon Stadium |
![]() | 00 | FC Anyang![]() | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
![]() | 32 | Daegu FC![]() | Daejeon World Cup Stadium |
![]() | 12 | Gimcheon Sangmu FC![]() | Jeonju World Cup Stadium |
![]() | 24 | Gwangju FC![]() | Suwon Stadium |
![]() | 12 | Daegu FC![]() | Gimcheon Stadium |