The South Korean football league system contains two professional leagues, two semi-professional leagues, and various amateur leagues for
Korean
Korean may refer to:
People and culture
* Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula
* Korean cuisine
* Korean culture
* Korean language
**Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl
**Korean dialects and the Jeju language
** ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
clubs.
The highest level of football in South Korea is the
K League 1
The K League 1 (Hangul: K리그1) is the men's top professional football division of the South Korean football league system. The league is contested by twelve clubs.
History
The South Korean professional football league was founded in 1 ...
, which was founded in 1983.
K League 2
The K League 2 (Hangul: K리그2) is the men's second-highest division of the South Korean football league system. It is contested between thirteen professional clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the K League 1.
Hi ...
was founded in 2013 and is currently a second division. Below the level of the professional leagues are the semi-professional
K3 League
The K3 League is the third tier of South Korean football league system, which was created from the rebranding of the Korea National League (2003–2019) and the former K3 League (2007–2019) into K3 League and K4 League in 2020. 16 teams are ...
, which was founded in
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
and refounded in 2020, and the
K4 League
The K4 League is the fourth tier of the South Korean football league system. After 2019, the semi-professional Korea National League and the former amateur K3 League were rebranded into the current K3 League and K4 League.
Competition format
T ...
, which was founded in 2020, and serve as the third division and fourth division, respectively.
There was no avenue for progression between any of the leagues until 2012, when the
K League 2
The K League 2 (Hangul: K리그2) is the men's second-highest division of the South Korean football league system. It is contested between thirteen professional clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the K League 1.
Hi ...
was founded.
System by period
Korean National Semi-Professional Football League
The Korean National Semi-professional Football League was contested between South Korean works teams and military teams from 1964 to 2002. It was the predecessor of the Korea National League which was founded in 2003.
History
After the introduct ...
was a
semi-professional
Semi-professional sports are sports in which athletes are not participating on a full-time basis, but still receive some payment. Semi-professionals are not amateur because they receive regular payment from their team, but generally at a consid ...
football league between
corporate teams in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
from 1964 to 2002. In 1983, with the establishment of
K League
K League (Hangul: K리그) is South Korea's professional football league. It includes first division K League 1 and second division K League 2.
History
Until the 1970s, South Korean football operated two major football leagues, the National S ...
which is a professional league, Semi-professional League became the second tier and remained until 2002 before
Korea National League
The Korea National League was a South Korean semi-professional football league held annually from 2003 to 2019. It was considered the second-highest division of the South Korean football league system before the K League 2 was launched in 2013, ...
was officially founded in 2003. The third tier
K3 League
The K3 League is the third tier of South Korean football league system, which was created from the rebranding of the Korea National League (2003–2019) and the former K3 League (2007–2019) into K3 League and K4 League in 2020. 16 teams are ...
was founded as an amateur league in 2007, and became the fourth tier after
K League 2
The K League 2 (Hangul: K리그2) is the men's second-highest division of the South Korean football league system. It is contested between thirteen professional clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the K League 1.
Hi ...
, the second division of the professional league, was founded in 2013. K3 League also divided into the Advanced and the Basic, and they became semi-professional leagues with new names,
K3 League
The K3 League is the third tier of South Korean football league system, which was created from the rebranding of the Korea National League (2003–2019) and the former K3 League (2007–2019) into K3 League and K4 League in 2020. 16 teams are ...
(semi-professional) and
K4 League
The K4 League is the fourth tier of the South Korean football league system. After 2019, the semi-professional Korea National League and the former amateur K3 League were rebranded into the current K3 League and K4 League.
Competition format
T ...
, after the merger of National League in 2020. South Korean leagues are using systems of promotion and relegation in each of three classes: professional, semi-professional and amateur; but there are still no promotion and relegation between classes until 2022, when there will be a promotion and relegation system between
K League 2
The K League 2 (Hangul: K리그2) is the men's second-highest division of the South Korean football league system. It is contested between thirteen professional clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the K League 1.
Hi ...
and
K3 League
The K3 League is the third tier of South Korean football league system, which was created from the rebranding of the Korea National League (2003–2019) and the former K3 League (2007–2019) into K3 League and K4 League in 2020. 16 teams are ...
.
Current system
Outside this league structure, there are university, reserve and youth level competitions. University clubs'
U-League The U-League, officially KUSF College Sports U-League (Korean: KUSF 대학스포츠 U-리그), is operated by the Korea University Sports Federation (KUSF), the organization which oversees college sports in South Korea. The KUSF U-League operates in ...
and reserve teams'
R League
The R League ( ko, R리그), also known as the Korean Professional Football Reserve League, is the league for reserve teams of professional association football clubs in South Korea. The league started in 1990 with five reserve teams of K League m ...
are operating independently from the league system. Relegation from K League 2 to K3 League from 2023 been introduced.
From 2023 season,
K5 League
The South Korean football league system contains two professional leagues, two semi-professional leagues, and various amateur leagues for Korean football clubs.
The highest level of football in South Korea is the K League 1, which was founded in 1 ...
switch from regional league to single national league. After two seasons of single national league implementation for two years, promotion system with the K4 League will be implemented from 2025.
Qualification for cups
Domestic cups
All
K League
K League (Hangul: K리그) is South Korea's professional football league. It includes first division K League 1 and second division K League 2.
History
Until the 1970s, South Korean football operated two major football leagues, the National S ...
,
K3 League
The K3 League is the third tier of South Korean football league system, which was created from the rebranding of the Korea National League (2003–2019) and the former K3 League (2007–2019) into K3 League and K4 League in 2020. 16 teams are ...
and
K4 League
The K4 League is the fourth tier of the South Korean football league system. After 2019, the semi-professional Korea National League and the former amateur K3 League were rebranded into the current K3 League and K4 League.
Competition format
T ...
sides qualify for the
Korean FA Cup
The Korean FA Cup is a national football cup knockout competition of South Korea, held annually by the Korea Football Association (KFA). Before the FA Cup was established in 1996, two predecessor competitions named All Joseon Football Tournament ...
tournament. The top eleven sides from the
K5 League
The South Korean football league system contains two professional leagues, two semi-professional leagues, and various amateur leagues for Korean football clubs.
The highest level of football in South Korea is the K League 1, which was founded in 1 ...
gained qualification to the 2020 season's FA Cup tournament. The
Korean League Cup
The Korean League Cup was a professional football competition in South Korean football. It was held by the K League Federation from 1986 to 2012.
Sponsorship
Champions List of finals
Titles by club
K League's principle of official stati ...
competition was open to K League teams only, whilst sides from the National League could compete in the
National League Championship, but both were abolished.
Continental competition
At present, four South Korean sides qualify automatically for the
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League (abbreviated as ACL) is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's top-division football clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition ...
. Three top teams from
K League 1
The K League 1 (Hangul: K리그1) is the men's top professional football division of the South Korean football league system. The league is contested by twelve clubs.
History
The South Korean professional football league was founded in 1 ...
automatically gains entry to the
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League (abbreviated as ACL) is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's top-division football clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition ...
. The
Korean FA Cup
The Korean FA Cup is a national football cup knockout competition of South Korea, held annually by the Korea Football Association (KFA). Before the FA Cup was established in 1996, two predecessor competitions named All Joseon Football Tournament ...
winners also qualify for the
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League (abbreviated as ACL) is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's top-division football clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition ...
only. However, if the champions of
Korean FA Cup
The Korean FA Cup is a national football cup knockout competition of South Korea, held annually by the Korea Football Association (KFA). Before the FA Cup was established in 1996, two predecessor competitions named All Joseon Football Tournament ...
are not members of K League, the fourth placed team of the
K League 1
The K League 1 (Hangul: K리그1) is the men's top professional football division of the South Korean football league system. The league is contested by twelve clubs.
History
The South Korean professional football league was founded in 1 ...
receive the entry spot.
See also
*
Football in South Korea
Football in South Korea is run by the Korea Football Association. The association administers the national football team as well as the K League. Football is the most popular sport in South Korea.
Beginning
In ancient times, Silla, one of Thr ...
*
K League
K League (Hangul: K리그) is South Korea's professional football league. It includes first division K League 1 and second division K League 2.
History
Until the 1970s, South Korean football operated two major football leagues, the National S ...
*
List of South Korean football champions
The South Korean football champions are the winners of the highest league in South Korean football, which is currently the K League 1.
Since the league turned professional in 1983, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors has won nine titles, the record for most t ...
References
External links
K League K5 K6 K7- KFA
Korea National League Challengers League ROKfootball
{{DEFAULTSORT:Korea Republic Football League System
Football league systems in Asia