Seoul: For the first time since 2016, Daegu FC will play in the second division of South Korean football.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Daegu FC finished the 2025 K League 1 season in last place among 12 teams with 34 points, following a 2-2 draw against FC Anyang at Daegu iM Bank Park in the southeastern city of Daegu on Sunday, leading to their relegation to the second-tier K League 2 for 2026.
Each year, the last-place team in the K League 1 faces automatic relegation to the K League 2. The teams finishing in 10th and 11th place enter promotion-relegation playoffs against K League 2 opponents, with the victorious teams earning a spot in the top division for the subsequent season.
This season, Jeju SK FC secured 11th place with 39 points after a victory against Ulsan HD FC with a score of 1-0. Suwon FC completed their season in 10th place with 42 points after a 1-0 defeat to Gwangju FC.
To avoid relegation on Sunday, Daegu FC needed a win against FC Anyang and a loss for Jeju against Ulsan. If this scenario had occurred, both Daegu and Jeju would have finished with 36 points, and Daegu would likely have won the first tiebreaker based on goals scored, as they had a 45-39 advantage heading into the match.
Despite having secured at least eighth place and little to play for, FC Anyang struck early with Matheus Oliveira scoring in the opening minute, followed by Lee Chang-yong's goal three minutes later. Geovani reduced the deficit for Daegu in the 58th minute, and Cesinha equalized during stoppage time. However, Jeju had already defeated Ulsan by that time, rendering Daegu's efforts futile.
A potential game-winning goal by Daegu's Caio in the dying seconds was nullified due to a handball violation after a video review.
Ulsan, K League 1 champions in 2022, 2023, and 2024, concluded just above Suwon FC in ninth place despite Sunday's loss, thus avoiding the promotion-relegation playoffs.
Jeju SK, as the 11th seed, will face the K League 2 runners-up, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, in one of the two promotion-relegation playoff series. The other series will feature Suwon FC against Bucheon FC 1995, who managed to hold off Seongnam FC in a K League 2 playoff match on Sunday.
The match between Bucheon and Seongnam ended goalless, but Bucheon, as the higher seed at No. 3, was declared the winner without requiring extra time. The promotion-relegation playoffs, played in a home-and-away format, are set to commence later this week.