K League 1 Rankings
Overview
K League 1 rankings are the final ranking system determined by each club in the regular league and final round of K League 1, the top professional football league in South Korea. These rankings are a key indicator of a season's success, determining the league champion, qualification for the AFC Champions League, and relegation, and are calculated based on points, goal difference, and goals scored.
Main Content
Ranking Determination Method
K League 1 rankings are primarily determined by points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). In case of a tie in points, rankings are decided in the following order:
1. Goal difference (goals scored - goals conceded)
2. Goals scored (total number of goals)
3. Head-to-head record (points, goal difference, goals scored)
4. Disciplinary points (fair play score)
5. Draw
Regular Round and Final Round
- Regular Round (Rounds 1–33): 12 clubs play a total of 33 matches in a home-and-away format over three rounds.
- Final Round (Rounds 34–38): Based on regular round performance, the top 6 teams (Final A) and bottom 6 teams (Final B) are split, each playing an additional 5 matches. Final A determines the champion and AFC Champions League qualification, while Final B determines relegation (or promotion-relegation playoffs).
Historical Champions and Ranking Changes
K League 1 (launched as 'Super League' in 1983) introduced the current points system in 1998 and has applied the split system (final round) since 2013. The most successful club in history is Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (9 titles), and the champions in the last five years (2020–2024) are Jeonbuk (2020, 2021) and Ulsan Hyundai (2022, 2023, 2024). Notably, Ulsan achieved a three-peat starting in 2022, breaking Jeonbuk's dominance.
Relegation and Promotion
- Bottom (12th place): Automatically relegated to K League 2 (second division).
- 11th place: Plays a promotion-relegation playoff against the 2nd-place team of K League 2.
- 10th place: Plays a promotion-relegation playoff against the winner of the K League 2 playoffs.
- K League 2 champion: Automatically promoted to K League 1.
Importance of Rankings
- 1st place: League champion, qualification for AFC Champions League Elite.
- 2nd–3rd place: Qualification for AFC Champions League Elite (or adjusted based on FA Cup winner).
- 4th place: Qualification for AFC Champions League 2.
- Lower ranks: Financial and squad retention pressure due to relegation risk.
Latest Trends
As of the 2024 season, K League 1 concluded with Ulsan Hyundai's three-peat (2022–2024). For the 2025 season, Gimcheon Sangmu (2024 K League 2 champion) was promoted, while the relegated teams are Incheon United (12th) and Daegu FC (11th, lost in promotion-relegation playoff). Recent trends include a decrease in reliance on foreign players, increased youth development, and ranking fluctuation controversies due to the introduction of VAR (video assistant referee). Additionally, starting in 2025, the foreign player quota in K League 1 will expand from 5 to 6, which is expected to impact ranking competition.
Related Topics
- [[K League 1]]
- [[AFC Champions League]]
- [[Promotion-Relegation Playoff]]
- [[Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors]]
- [[Ulsan Hyundai]]
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