2025 K3 League
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 1, 2025 – November 8, 2025 |
← 2024 2026 → | |
The 2025 K3 League is the sixth season of the semi-professional K3 League. It is the third tier of men's football in South Korea.
The pre-season winter transfer window opened on 1 January 2025 and will close on 24 March 2025. The summer transfer window will open on 20 June 2025 and close on 31 July 2025.
Competition format
The regular season will be played over 30 rounds, beginning on 1 March 2025.[1][2] Due to the odd number of teams following Hwaseong FC's move to K League 2, each round will have one team on a bye.[2] The winner of the regular league will be crowned as champions without a playoff, and the 15th-placed team will be automatically relegated to the K4 League. The 14th-placed team will play in a promotion-relegation playoff against the 2nd-placed team in the 2025 K4 League.[3]
Teams
Fifteen teams will compete in the 2025 season. Teams must include at least three U-23 players in their matchday squad, and at least one of those players must be in the starting line-up. Teams are limited to four players of foreign nationality.[3]
Team changes
Joined K League 2
- The K3 League is the highest tier of semi-professional football in South Korea and there is currently no promotion or relegation between it and the professional K League 2. However, Hwaseong FC turned professional at the end of 2024 and joined K League 2 ahead of the 2025 season.[4][5]
Promoted from K4 League
- Jeonbuk Hyundai N Team — Previously known as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors B, they gained automatic promotion as champions of the 2024 K4 League.[6]
Relegated to K4 League
- Daegu FC B — automatically relegated after finishing the 2024 league in final position.[7]
Stadiums and locations
| Team | Home city | Home ground | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busan Transportation Corporation | Busan | Gudeok Stadium | 4,549 |
| Changwon City FC | Changwon | Changwon Sports Park | 27,085 |
| Chuncheon Citizen | Chuncheon | Chuncheon Songam Sports Town Auxiliary Stadium | 500 |
| Daejeon Korail | Daejeon | Daejeon World Cup Stadium Auxiliary Pitch | 478 |
| Gangneung Citizen FC | Gangneung | Gangneung Stadium | 3,000 |
| Gyeongju KHNP | Gyeongju | Gyeongju Football Park Pitch 3 | 15,000 |
| Gimhae City FC | Gimhae | Gimhae Sports Complex | 15,066 |
| Jeonbuk N | Wanju | Wanju Public Stadium | 3,377 |
| FC Mokpo | Mokpo | Mokpo International Football Center | 9,132 |
| Paju Citizen | Paju | Paju Stadium | 25,000 |
| Pocheon Citizen | Pocheon | Pocheon Sports Complex | 7,000 |
| Siheung Citizen | Siheung | Jeongwang Stadium | 1,000 |
| Ulsan Citizen | Ulsan | Ulsan Stadium | 19,431 |
| Yangpyeong FC | Yangpyeong | Yangpyeong Sports Complex | 6,300 |
| Yeoju FC | Yeoju | Yeoju Sports Complex | 10,180 |
Foreign players
The number of foreign players is restricted to three per team, or four per team if one player is from an AFC country.[2]
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | AFC player | Former player(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Busan Transportation Corporation | Jan Rabens | ||||
| Changwon City | Felipe Fonseca (Loan) | ||||
| Chuncheon Citizen | Felipe Machado | Klysman | Martin Sawi | Reo Nishiguchi | |
| FC Mokpo | Uzo Michael | ||||
| Gangneung Citizen | Lucão | Careca | |||
| Gimhae City FC | Kaisei Ishii | ||||
| Gyeongju KHNP | Victor Ribeiro | Denzel | Camilo | ||
| Paju Citizen | Yuri | Matheus Devellard | |||
| Siheung Citizen | Sandy | Haruto Tanaka | |||
| Yangpyeong FC | Richard Luca | Joaninha |
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gimhae FC | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 13 | +16 | 35 | Champions |
| 2 | Pocheon Citizen | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 30 | 15 | +15 | 33 | |
| 3 | Siheung Citizen | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 14 | +14 | 33 | |
| 4 | Daejeon Korail | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 16 | +14 | 30 | |
| 5 | Busan TC | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 16 | +2 | 26 | |
| 6 | Chuncheon Citizen | 15 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 17 | 16 | +1 | 22 | |
| 7 | Gyeongju KHNP | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 18 | −1 | 21 | |
| 8 | Changwon FC | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 12 | +1 | 19 | |
| 9 | Yangpyeong FC | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 14 | −1 | 19 | |
| 10 | Gangneung Citizen | 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 23 | −2 | 18 | |
| 11 | Yeoju FC | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 18 | −6 | 18 | |
| 12 | Paju Citizen | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 22 | −9 | 15 | |
| 13 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors B | 14 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 27 | −14 | 10 | |
| 14 | FC Mokpo | 15 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 28 | −16 | 6 | Promotion-Relegation playoff |
| 15 | Ulsan Citizen | 14 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 26 | −14 | 5 | Relegation[8] |
Results
See also
References
- ^ Korea Football Association [@thekfa_k3k4league]; (5 February 2025). "2025 K4리그 일정표" [2025 K4 League schedule] (in Korean). Retrieved 6 February 2025 – via Instagram.
- ^ a b c Ko, Sung-hwan (27 February 2025). "'15개팀 참가' 2025 K3리그, 3월 1일 개막...8개월 대장정 막 올린다" [With 15 participating teams, the 2025 K3 League begins its 8-month odyssey on 1st March]. Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ a b Lee, Young-ho (27 February 2025). "K3리그, 2025시즌 3월 1일 개막... 15개팀 경쟁" [15 teams to battle it out in 2025 K3 League, starting on 1 March]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ Kwon, Jae-min (1 December 2024). "한국프로축구연맹 이사회, 화성FC 회원 가입 승인...연맹 권한 범위도 확대" [KFA board approves Hwaseong FC's membership, expands scope of authority]. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). Retrieved 5 February 2025.
- ^ Bae, Jin-nam (13 January 2025). "화성FC 합류로 K리그2 14개 구단 체제...권오갑 총재 4선도 확정(종합)" [With Hwaseong FC's inclusion, K League 2 has 14 teams, Kwon Oh-gap's fourth term confirmed (roundup)]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Retrieved 5 February 2025.
- ^ Lee, Young-ho (9 January 2025). "K리그1 전북, 2군팀 명칭 변경..."N팀으로 불러주세요"" [K League 1's Jeonbuk changes reserves team name... "Call us the N team"]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Retrieved 5 February 2025.
- ^ Kim, Ga-eul (21 January 2025). "대구FC B팀 사령탑으로 새 도전, 박원재 감독 "선수들 열심히 해줘 감사...잘 성장시키겠다"" [Park Won-jae's new challenge as Daegu FC B head coach: "I'm grateful for the players who work hard... I must help them to develop well"]. Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 5 February 2025.
- ^ The promotion relegation structure was changed for the 2025 season due to Hwaseong FC being promoted to K League 2.
External links
- Korean Football Association - Official K3 League Page