K League 1 facts for kids
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| Organising body | K League Federation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1983 |
| Country | South Korea |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | K League 2 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Korean FA Cup |
| International cup(s) | AFC Champions League Elite AFC Champions League Two |
| Current champions | Ulsan HD (5th title) (2024) |
| Most championships | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (9 titles) |
| TV partners | JTBC Golf&Sports IB Sports Sky Sports (South Korea) Coupang Play Next Level Sports |
| K League 1 | |
| Hangul |
K리그 원
|
|---|---|
| Revised Romanization | K rigeu one |
| McCune–Reischauer | K rigŭ wŏn |
The K League 1 (Hangul: K리그1) is the top professional association football league in South Korea. It is the highest level of football in the South Korean football league system. Twelve clubs compete in this exciting league.
The K League 1 is one of the most successful football leagues in Asia. Its clubs have won a record twelve AFC Champions League titles. This is a big competition for the best teams in Asia.
Contents
History of the K League 1
The professional football league in South Korea started in 1983. It was first called the Korean Super League. Five clubs were part of this first league. These clubs were Hallelujah FC, Yukong Elephants, Pohang Steelworks, Daewoo Royals, and Kookmin Bank.
Hallelujah FC won the very first championship. They finished just one point ahead of Daewoo Royals. In 1987, the Super League changed its name to the Korean Professional Football League. It also started using a home and away game system. This meant teams played each other at their own stadiums and at their opponents' stadiums.
The league changed its name again to the K League in 1998. After the 2011 season, some older competitions were stopped. In 2013, the league was split into two main parts. The top division was named the K League Classic. A new second division was created, called the K League Challenge. Both of these are now part of the bigger K League family.
Since it began, the K League has grown a lot. It started with only 5 clubs and now has 26 clubs across its divisions. Of the first five clubs, only Yukong, Pohang, and Daewoo still play in the K League today. On January 22, 2018, the top league was officially renamed K League 1.
How the K League 1 Works
The K League 1 has a system where teams can move between divisions. This is called relegation and promotion. In 2012, a new rule was added. Teams that finished at the bottom of the K League 1 could be moved down to the K League 2.
Since 2013, the team that finishes last in K League 1 is automatically relegated. The team that finishes second to last (11th place) plays a special game. This game is against the winner of the K League 2 promotion playoffs. The winner of this game gets to play in K League 1 the next season.
The league also uses a "split system." This means the season is divided into two parts. First, all clubs play each other three times. After these games, the teams are split into two groups. The top six teams go into "Split A." The bottom six teams go into "Split B." Each team then plays the other teams in their group one more time. This helps decide the final standings and who wins the championship.
More About the K League 1
The K League 1 season usually starts around March. It then runs until late November each year. The number of games played and the exact rules have changed over the years.
Many of the clubs in the K League 1 are owned by large South Korean companies. These companies are sometimes called "chaebols." Other teams are owned by local governments. Many clubs have added their local city names to their team names. This helps them connect more with the people in their communities.
The top teams in the K League 1 get to play in the AFC Champions League. This is a big competition for the best clubs in Asia. The K League champions, the second-place team, and the third-place team usually get to enter. However, Sangmu FC, which is a military team, cannot join this competition. If the winner of the Korean FA Cup (another big competition) has not already qualified for the AFC Champions League, or has already qualified, then the fourth-place team in K League 1 might also get to play.
In 2009, Gangwon FC joined the K League. This was a special moment because it meant there was at least one professional football club in every province of South Korea. This was the first time this had happened in South Korean professional sports history.
K League 1 Teams
| Club | Location | Stadium | First season | Current spell | Seasons | Last title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC Anyang | Anyang | Anyang Stadium | 2025 | 2025– | 1 | — |
| Daegu FC | Daegu | Daegu iM Bank Park | 2003 | 2017– | 20 | — |
| Daejeon Hana Citizen | Daejeon | Daejeon World Cup Stadium | 1997 | 2023– | 21 | — |
| Gangwon FC | Gangwon | Chuncheon Songam Stadium Gangneung Stadium |
2009 | 2017– | 14 | — |
| Gimcheon Sangmu | Gimcheon | Gimcheon Stadium | 2022 | 2024– | 3 | — |
| Gwangju FC | Gwangju | Gwangju World Cup Stadium | 2011 | 2023– | 10 | — |
| Jeju SK | Jeju Province | Jeju World Cup Stadium | 1983 | 2021– | 42 | 1989 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | North Jeolla | Jeonju World Cup Stadium | 1995 | 1995– | 31 | 2021 |
| Pohang Steelers | Pohang | Pohang Steel Yard | 1983 | 1983– | 43 | 2013 |
| FC Seoul | Seoul | Seoul World Cup Stadium | 1984 | 1984– | 42 | 2016 |
| Suwon FC | Suwon | Suwon Stadium | 2016 | 2021– | 6 | — |
| Ulsan HD | Ulsan | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium | 1984 | 1984– | 42 | 2024 |
K League 1 Champions
Champions by Season
Club Performance in the K League 1
List of South Korean football champions
Where to Watch K League 1 Games
In South Korea
| Broadcaster | Summary | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| JTBC Golf&Sports | Shows most matches live. | |
| Sky Sports (South Korea) | Shows one match live every Saturday and Sunday. | |
| IB Sports | Shows one match live every Saturday. | |
| KBS1 (terrestrial) | Shows one match every Sunday starting at 1:00 a.m. | |
| Coupang Play | Shows all matches live online through their streaming service. |
Outside South Korea
As of 2024
| Country/region | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 Australia |
Optus Sport |
| Balkans | Arena Sport |
 China |
K-Ball |
| CIS | TV Start |
 Hong Kong |
TVB |
 Indonesia |
TVRI Sport |
 Macau |
Macau Cable TV |
 Malaysia |
Astro SuperSport |
 United States |
FanDuel TV |
| Worldwide | K League TV |
See also
In Spanish: K League 1 para niños
- K League records and statistics
- List of foreign K League 1 players
