Summary
The K League 1 (KOR1) is the top level of league-style football competition in South Korea. At the end of the 2023 KOR1 season, the KOR1 teams listed below qualify for the following non-league play:
- 2024-2025 AFC Champions League - Group Stage:
- 1st and 2nd place 2023 KOR1 teams from the Championship group
- 2024-2025 AFC Champions League - Playoff Round:
- 3rd place 2023 KOR1 team from the Championship group
The winner of the 2023 Korean FA Cup, typically a KOR1 team, also receives a berth in the Group Stage of the 2024 AFC Champions League.
Leagues Pyramid - Korea Republic
| Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
|---|---|---|
| KOR1 | K League 1 | 12 |
| KOR2 | K League 2 | 13 |
| KOR3 | K3 League | 16 |
| KOR4 | K4 League | 17 |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
| Regular 25 Feb 2023 - 8 Oct 2023 | Champ/Releg Rounds 15 Oct 2023 - 23 Nov 2023 | 12: KOR1 (9 minimum), KOR2 (3 maximum) | |
Season Format
In the 2023 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 2023 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...
Relegation Playoffs
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| Aggregate | Busan I'Park FC (KOR2) | 46 | Suwon FC (KOR1) |
| 06.12.23 |  | 21 | Suwon FC | Gimpo Salter Soccer Field |
| 09.12.23 | | 52 | Busan I'Park FC | Suwon Stadium | ||
| AET - Suwon FC remains in KOR1 | ||||||
| Aggregate | Gimpo Citizen FC (KOR2) | 12 | Gangwon FC (KOR1) |
| 06.12.23 |  | 00 | Gangwon FC | Gangneung Stadium |
| 09.12.23 | | 21 | Gimpo Citizen FC | Gangneung Stadium | ||
| Gangwon FC remains in KOR1 | ||||||
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 | Ulsan Hyundai FC | 38 | 23 -7-8 | 76 | - | 63 | 42 | 21 | 19 | 13 -4-2 | 43 | 37 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 10 -3-6 | 33 | 26 | 22 | 4 |
| 2 | Pohang Steelers | 38 | 16 -16-6 | 64 | - | 53 | 40 | 13 | 19 | 12 -5-2 | 41 | 32 | 19 | 13 | 19 | 4 -11-4 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 3 | Gwangju FC | 38 | 16 -11-11 | 59 | - | 47 | 35 | 12 | 19 | 9 -4-6 | 31 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 19 | 7 -7-5 | 28 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 4 | Jeonbuk Motors | 38 | 16 -9-13 | 57 | - | 45 | 35 | 10 | 19 | 10 -4-5 | 34 | 27 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 6 -5-8 | 23 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 5 | Incheon United | 38 | 14 -14-10 | 56 | - | 46 | 42 | 4 | 19 | 7 -8-4 | 29 | 24 | 18 | 6 | 19 | 7 -6-6 | 27 | 22 | 24 | -2 |
| 6 | Daegu FC | 38 | 13 -14-11 | 53 | - | 42 | 43 | -1 | 19 | 7 -9-3 | 30 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 19 | 6 -5-8 | 23 | 19 | 24 | -5 |
| Relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | FC Seoul | 38 | 14 -13-11 | 55 | - | 63 | 49 | 14 | 19 | 7 -7-5 | 28 | 31 | 22 | 9 | 19 | 7 -6-6 | 27 | 32 | 27 | 5 |
| 2 | Daejeon Citizen FC | 38 | 12 -15-11 | 51 | - | 56 | 58 | -2 | 19 | 8 -6-5 | 30 | 27 | 25 | 2 | 19 | 4 -9-6 | 21 | 29 | 33 | -4 |
| 3 | Jeju United FC | 38 | 10 -11-17 | 41 | - | 43 | 49 | -6 | 19 | 5 -7-7 | 22 | 20 | 22 | -2 | 19 | 5 -4-10 | 19 | 23 | 27 | -4 |
| 4 | Gangwon FC | 38 | 6 -16-16 | 34 | - | 30 | 41 | -11 | 19 | 3 -8-8 | 17 | 18 | 23 | -5 | 19 | 3 -8-8 | 17 | 12 | 18 | -6 |
| 5 | Suwon Bluewings | 38 | 8 -9-21 | 33 | - | 35 | 57 | -22 | 19 | 3 -5-11 | 14 | 15 | 26 | -11 | 19 | 5 -4-10 | 19 | 20 | 31 | -11 |
| 6 | Suwon FC | 38 | 8 -9-21 | 33 | - | 44 | 76 | -32 | 19 | 4 -5-10 | 17 | 26 | 38 | -12 | 19 | 4 -4-11 | 16 | 18 | 38 | -20 |
2024-2025 AFCCL Relegation Playoff 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 | 33 | 20 -7-6 | 67 | - | 56 | 36 | 20 | 16 | 10 -4-2 | 34 | 31 | 18 | 13 | 17 | 10 -3-4 | 33 | 25 | 18 | 7 |
| 2 | Pohang Steelers | 33 | 15 -13-5 | 58 | - | 48 | 35 | 13 | 17 | 11 -4-2 | 37 | 30 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 4 -9-3 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 1 |
| 3 | Gwangju FC | 33 | 15 -9-9 | 54 | - | 45 | 30 | 15 | 16 | 8 -3-5 | 27 | 24 | 11 | 13 | 17 | 7 -6-4 | 27 | 21 | 19 | 2 |
| 4 | Jeonbuk Motors | 33 | 14 -7-12 | 49 | - | 39 | 31 | 8 | 17 | 9 -3-5 | 30 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 16 | 5 -4-7 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 5 | Daegu FC | 33 | 12 -13-8 | 49 | - | 38 | 36 | 2 | 16 | 6 -8-2 | 26 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 17 | 6 -5-6 | 23 | 19 | 21 | -2 |
| 6 | Incheon United | 33 | 12 -12-9 | 48 | - | 38 | 37 | 1 | 17 | 6 -7-4 | 25 | 20 | 16 | 4 | 16 | 6 -5-5 | 23 | 18 | 21 | -3 |
| 7 | FC Seoul | 33 | 12 -11-10 | 47 | - | 55 | 42 | 13 | 17 | 6 -7-4 | 25 | 29 | 20 | 9 | 16 | 6 -4-6 | 22 | 26 | 22 | 4 |
| 8 | Daejeon Citizen FC | 33 | 11 -12-10 | 45 | - | 49 | 52 | -3 | 16 | 8 -4-4 | 28 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 17 | 3 -8-6 | 17 | 25 | 31 | -6 |
| 9 | Jeju United FC | 33 | 9 -8-16 | 35 | - | 39 | 45 | -6 | 16 | 4 -6-6 | 18 | 18 | 20 | -2 | 17 | 5 -2-10 | 17 | 21 | 25 | -4 |
| 10 | Suwon FC | 33 | 8 -7-18 | 31 | - | 37 | 65 | -28 | 16 | 4 -4-8 | 16 | 20 | 30 | -10 | 17 | 4 -3-10 | 15 | 17 | 35 | -18 |
| 11 | Gangwon FC | 33 | 4 -14-15 | 26 | - | 25 | 38 | -13 | 17 | 2 -7-8 | 13 | 15 | 22 | -7 | 16 | 2 -7-7 | 13 | 10 | 16 | -6 |
| 12 | Suwon Bluewings | 33 | 6 -7-20 | 25 | - | 29 | 51 | -22 | 17 | 3 -3-11 | 12 | 13 | 24 | -11 | 16 | 3 -4-9 | 13 | 16 | 27 | -11 |
Championship Round Relegation Round | ||||||||||||||||||||
Results
 | 10 | Jeonbuk Motors | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
 | 21 | Incheon United | DGB Daegu Bank Park |
 | 00 | Pohang Steelers | Gwangju Football Stadium |
 | 00 | Gangwon FC | Suwon World Cup Stadium |
| 11 | Jeju United FC | Suwon Stadium |
 | 22 | FC Seoul | Daejeon World Cup Stadium |
| 10 | Daegu FC | Pohang Steel Yard |
| 20 | Suwon FC | Gangneung Stadium |
| 01 | Suwon Bluewings | Sangam Stadium |
| 20 | Gwangju FC | Jeonju World Cup Stadium |
| 02 | Daejeon Citizen FC | Jeju World Cup Stadium |
| 31 | Ulsan Hyundai FC | Incheon Football Stadium |
| 32 | Pohang Steelers | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
| 11 | Jeonbuk Motors | Incheon Football Stadium |
| 23 | Suwon Bluewings | Suwon Stadium |
| 11 | Gwangju FC | DGB Daegu Bank Park |
| 00 | FC Seoul | Jeju World Cup Stadium |
| 01 | Gangwon FC | Daejeon World Cup Stadium |
| 20 | Daegu FC | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |