2025 K League 1


The 2025 K League 1, also known as the Hana Bank K League 1 for sponsorship reasons, was the 43rd season of the top division of professional football in South Korea, and the twelfth season of the K League 1. Ulsan HD were the three-time defending champions.

Rule changes

The following rules were newly introduced for the 2025 season.
  1. Concussion substitution rule
  2. Homegrown foreign player rule for players of foreign nationality who have spent a significant period of their youth career in South Korea
  3. Domestic foreign player rule for players of foreign nationality who have been registered with a domestic amateur team for at least three consecutive years or a total of five years before their first professional contract
  4. Introduction of a one-off Special Player Registration Period 1–10 June 2025
  5. Increase in the number of players a club can loan in or out, and in the number of players that can be loaned between two clubs

Teams

Team changes

FC Anyang were promoted from the K League 2 for the first time in the club's history. Incheon United were relegated to the K League 2, absenting from the top flight of South Korean football for the first time in the club's history.
Promoted from K League 2 Relegated to K League 2

  • Incheon United

    • Locations

    The following twelve clubs are competing in the 2025 K League 1.
    TeamCity/ProvinceAbbreviation
    Daegu FCDaeguDaegu
    Daejeon Hana CitizenDaejeonDaejeon
    FC AnyangAnyangAnyang
    Gangwon FCGangwonGangwon
    Gimcheon SangmuGimcheonGimcheon
    Gwangju FCGwangjuGwangju
    Jeju SKJejuJeju
    Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsJeonbukJeonbuk
    Pohang SteelersPohangPohang
    FC SeoulSeoulSeoul
    Suwon FCSuwonSuwon FC
    Ulsan HDUlsanUlsan

    Foreign players

    Each team may have up to six foreign players registered, but may only field up to five at any given time. As a military-owned team, Gimcheon Sangmu are not allowed to sign any foreign players.
    A North Korean player is considered to be a domestic player under South Korean nationality law. As of 2025, K League has a homegrown system under which players of foreign nationality who have grown up in Korea are considered to be domestic players when registering as new players.
    Players in bold were registered during the mid-season transfer window.
    TeamPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Player 4Player 5Player 6HomegrownFormer
    FC Anyang

    Positions by matchday








    Results

    Matches 1–22

    Teams played each other twice, once at home, once away.

    Matches 23–33

    Teams played each other once, either at home or away.

    Matches 34–38

    Teams played each other once, either at home or away.

    Relegation play-offs

    The tenth-placed team and the eleventh-placed team played the play-off winners and the runners-up of the K League 2, respectively, in the relegation play-offs.
    The first leg between Suwon FC and Bucheon FC 1995 was postponed from 4 December to 5 December due to heavy snow.


    Jeju SK won 3–0 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remain in their respective leagues.
    ----
    ''Bucheon FC 1995 won 4–2 on aggregate and was promoted to K League 1, while Suwon FC was relegated to K League 2.''

    Awards

    Annual awards

    The 2025 K League Awards was held on 1 December 2025.
    AwardWinnerClub
    Most Valuable Player