K League 2
The K League 2 (Hangul: K리그2) is a South Korean professional association football league. Being the second tier of the South Korean football league system, it is currently contested by ten clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the K League 1.
Founded | 2013 |
---|---|
Country | South Korea |
Confederation | AFC |
Number of teams | 10 |
Level on pyramid | 2 |
Promotion to | K League 1 |
Relegation to | None |
Domestic cup(s) | FA Cup |
Current champions | Gwangju FC (2019) |
Most championships | Sangju Sangmu (2 titles) |
TV partners | Sky Sports Life Sports TV |
Website | Official website |
History
In 2011 the original K League announced a plan to begin a promotion and relegation system between the K League and a proposed second division.[1] The K League then took steps to create the new second division, mainly with the addition of a split-system during the 2012 K-League season in which the bottom clubs are placed in a competition for safety with the last placed club being relegated to the new second division (originally it was going to be two clubs relegated but the withdrawal of Sangju Sangmu FC meant only one would be relegated).[2][3] In the 2013 season, the 13th and 14th teams in the K League Classic were automatically relelgated, while the 12th team played a match against the winner of the newly-formed K League Challenge to decide promotion/relegation. From the 2014 season, only the 12th team of the top division is automatically relegated, with the 11th team playing a two-leg match against the winner of the K League 2 promotion playoffs to decide promotion/relegation. The promotion playoffs are as follows: the fourth-placed team plays against the third-placed team, then the winner of this match plays with the second-placed team. If the match is tied, the higher-placed team advances.
On 3 January 2013 the official name of the Second Division was announced as the K League while the original K League was changed to K League Classic along with the new logo.[4] This name change caused some degree of confusion and controversy,[5] and on 11 March 2013 the official name was changed to K League Challenge.[6]
On 22 January 2018 the official name was changed to K League 2.[7]
Clubs
Club | Location | Stadium | First season | Current spell | Seasons[lower-alpha 1] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ansan Greeners | Ansan | Ansan Wa~ Stadium | 2017 | 2017– | 3 |
Bucheon FC 1995 | Bucheon | Bucheon Stadium | 2013 | 2013– | 7 |
Chungnam Asan | Asan | Yi Sun-sin Stadium | 2020 | 2020– | 0(Debut) |
Daejeon Hana Citizen | Daejeon | Daejeon World Cup Stadium | 2014 | 2016– | 5 |
FC Anyang | Anyang | Anyang Stadium | 2013 | 2013– | 7 |
Gyeongnam FC | Changwon | Changwon Football Center | 2006 | 2020– | 4 |
Jeju United | Seogwipo | Jeju World Cup Stadium | 2020 | 2020– | 0(Debut) |
Jeonnam Dragons | South Jeolla | Gwangyang Football Stadium | 2019 | 2019– | 1 |
Seoul E-Land | Seoul | Seoul Olympic Stadium | 2015 | 2015– | 5 |
Suwon FC | Suwon | Suwon Stadium | 2013 | 2017– | 6 |
- As of the start the 2020 season.
Champions
Note: Per official K League 2 rules, the runners-up are the teams which won the play-off final.
Titles by season
Season | Champions | Runners-up |
---|---|---|
2013 | Sangju Sangmu | Police FC |
2014 | Daejeon Citizen | Gwangju FC |
2015 | Sangju Sangmu | Suwon FC |
2016 | Ansan Mugunghwa | Daegu FC |
2017 | Gyeongnam FC | Busan IPark |
2018 | Asan Mugunghwa | Seongnam FC |
2019 | Gwangju FC | Busan IPark |
2020 | ||
Titles by club
Club | Champions | Winning seasons | Runners-up | Runners-up seasons |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sangju Sangmu | 2013, 2015 | |||
Ansan Mugunghwa[lower-alpha 1] | 2016 | 2013 | ||
Gwangju FC | 2019 | 2014 | ||
Daejeon Hana Citizen | 2014 | |||
Gyeongnam FC | 2017 | |||
Asan Mugunghwa[lower-alpha 1] | 2018 | |||
Busan IPark | 2017, 2019 | |||
Suwon FC | 2015 | |||
Daegu FC | 2016 | |||
Seongnam FC | 2018 | |||
- Ansan Mugunghwa and Asan Mugunghwa are officially two distinct clubs per K League policies.[8]
References
- Richards, Dave. "Korea, England: closer football ties". Korea Joongang Daily. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- "K리그 31~44라운드, 상주 없이 그대로 진행".
- "K League confirm promotion-relegation system". SportsSpying. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- "K League News". K-League. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- "위원석의 하프타임 'K리그'에 새로운 이름을 붙여주자" (in Korean). The Daily Sports Seoul. 19 February 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-12-11.
- "'K리그 챌린지' 프로축구 2부리그 새 이름으로 이번 주말 스타트!" (in Korean). K League official website. 11 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
- "프로축구연맹, 클래식→K리그1, 챌린지→K리그2 대회명 변경" (in Korean). K League Official Website. 22 January 2018.
- 프로연맹, 신생팀 안산-아산 가입 승인