Besides Belarusian Premier League and Nicaraguan football league, football fans will have the chance to enjoy another championship. On May 8, Korean K League 1 will go underway.
The regular season was scheduled to begin on 29 February and to end on 4 October, but was postponed following the COVID-19 outbreak,
The 2020 K League 1 will be the 38th season of the top division of professional football in South Korea. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors are the defending champions.
12 teams will participate in this years' championship. Two teams had managerial changes ahead of the season. The teams now have a restriction for the number of foreign players. A team could use five foreign players on the field each game including at least one player from the AFC confederation.
The South Korean football league have announced, that they sold broadcasting rights to 10 (Germany, France, Italy, United States) countries this year. They have new media deals with international online platforms Dugout, 433 and Copa90.
Participating Club
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors is a 26-year-old club which based in North Jeolla Province. They won K League seven times, Korean FA Cup three times and AFC Champions League twice. They become the first club from East Asia to win the championship since 2003.
Last season, they finished first in the K-League and will be aiming to defend their title this term.
Their manager is José Morais, who has been an assistant coach at Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea.
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors has the most valuable squad in K-League. Their current squad value is £13.82m. The club also have five National Team players.
Ulsan Hyundai
Ulsan Hyundai joined K-League in 1984, one year after their foundation. They are based in Ulsan and their owner is the South Korean corporation Hyundai Heavy Industries. Ulsan Hyundai have one K-League title, one FA Cup and one AFC Champions League title.
Last season, Ulsan Hyundai finished second in the K-League. Their manager is former Korean National team player Kim Do-hoon.
Ulsan Hyundai also the second in the ratings of most valuable squads. Their squad value is £12.60m.
Image Source: Ulsan FC
FC Seoul
FC Seoul is unsurprisingly based in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. They were founded in 1983. FC Seoul have won six League titles, two FA Cups and two AFC Champions League titles.
Last season, they finished third in the K-League 1. Their manager is former Korean National team player Choi Yong-soo.
FC Seoul is fourth in the ratings of most valuable Korean clubs. Their squad value is £12.53m.
Pohang Steelers
Pohang Steelers were founded in 1972 and they based in Pohang, North Gyeongsang. They are join-most successful team in Asia as they won three AFC Champions League titles. They also have five K-League titles and four FA Cups.
Last season, they finished fourth in the league. Their manager is former Korean National team player Kim Gi-Dong.
In the list of the most valuable squad of K-League, they are ninth with £7.99m market value.
Image Source: 사진 김재훈
Daegu FC
Daegu FC is just an 18-year-old club. They made their debut in the K-League in 2003. They have won FA Cup only once.
Last season they finished fifth and it was their best result in history. Their manager is a South Korean former footballer Lee Byung-keun.
They have the cheapest squad in the entire K-League. Value of the squad is £8.55m.
Gangwon FC
Gangwon is a very young team, which were founded in 2008 and based in Gangwon Province. They joined K-League in 2009.
Last season they finished sixth in the league. Their manager is Kim Byung-soo.
They are seventh in the list of most valuable clubs in K-League. Their squad market value is £9.61m.
Sangju Sangmu
Sangju Sangmu is the most unique club in the K-League. Sangmu means martialism in Korean and they are the sports division of the Military of South Korea. Their coaching staff is made up of young South Korean professional players who are serving their two-year military duty. Just imagine, Tottenham star Son Heung-Min could have been one of them. They are not allowed to sign any foreign players.
Last season, the club finished seventh in the K-League.
They are currently third in the list of most valuable squads in K-League. Their value is £9.27m.
Image Source:
Sangju Sangmu
Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Suwon Samsung Bluewings was founded in December 1995 and since then they have won four K-League titles.
Last season, they finished eighth in the K-League. Their manager is Lee Lim-saeng.
Their squad market value is sixth in Korea as it's priced £11.36m.
Seongnam FC
Seongnam won joint-record seven K-League titles, three FA Cups and three League Cup. The club which was founded in 1983, won two AFC Champions League trophies. Their nickname is "The Magpies".
Last season, Seongnam finished ninth in the league. Their manager is Kim Nam-il.
Their squad market value is £8.12m and they are eight in the list.
Incheon United
Incheon United are based in the third biggest city in South Korea. Their best result in the K-League and FA Cup is the second place.
Last season, they finished 10th in the league. Their manager is Lim Wan-Sup and this season will be a debut for him.
Their squad market value is £8.48m and they are eleventh on the list.
Busan IPark
Busan IPark was one of the original five members of the K League. They won K-League four times and once FA Cup.
Last season, they were participating in the K-League 2 and were promoted to the K-League one after finishing second. Manager of Busan IPark is Cho Deok-je.
Their squad market value is £8.84m and they are fifth in the list of most valuable squads in Korea League 1.
Gwangju FC
Gwangju were founded in 2010 and become K-League's 16th club in 2011. Last season they won K-League 2 and earned a promotion to the K-League 1.
The manager of the club is Park Jin-sub.
Gwangju has the 10th most valuable squad in the K-League 1. Their squad market value is £7.76m.
K-League 2020. Round 1 Fixtures and Odds
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors VS Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Date: 08.05
VBET Odds- Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors: 1.73, Draw: 3.59, Suwon Samsung Bluewings: 4.50
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here for more match odds
Ulsan Hyundai VS Sangju Sangmu
Date: 09.05
VBET Odds- Ulsan Hyundai: 1.64, Draw: 3.94 , Sangju Sangmu: 4.60.
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here for more match odds
Incheon United VS Daegu FC
Date: 09.05
VBET Odds- Incheon United: 3.11, Draw: 3.29, Daegu: 2.20.
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here for more match odds
Gwangju FC VS Seongnam FC
Date: 09.05
VBET Odds- Gwangju: 2.51, Draw: 3.10, Seongnam: 2.19.
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here for more match odds
Pohang Steelers VS Busan IPark
Date: 10.05
VBET Odds: Pohang Steelers: 1.99, Draw: 3.26, Busan IPark: 3.69.
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here for more match odds
Gangwon FC VS FC Seoul
Date: 10.05
VBET Odds: Gangwon: 2.88, Draw: 3.20, Seoul: 2.38.
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here for more match odds.
