"The Only Team Without Consecutive Losses" FC Seoul Reclaims K League 1 Title After 10 Years

Clinched the title before the final round... seventh championship overall
Head coach Kim Ki-dong wins his first K League 1 title in his third year in charge

FC Seoul returned to the top of professional soccer's K League 1 for the first time in 10 years.

Seoul, led by head coach Kim Ki-dong, drew 1-1 with Gangwon FC in their home match at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 24th, the final match of the 33-round regular season in the Hana Bank K League 1 2026.

With 20 wins, seven draws and six losses (67 points), Seoul maintained a 16-point lead over second-place Ulsan HD, who drew 2-2 with Pohang Steelers at the same time, and clinched the title regardless of the results of their five remaining matches in the final round.

Seoul conceded a penalty after Kim Jin-su committed a foul in first-half stoppage time, but goalkeeper Gu Sung-yun saved Kim Dae-won's shot to avert the danger.

FC Seoul's Moon Seon-min celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a match against Gangwon FC at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Sangam, Seoul, on the 24th. Yonhap News.

The opening goal came in the 13th minute of the second half. Moon Seon-min received a pass from Anderson and found the back of the net with a right-footed shot. After scoring, Moon celebrated with his teammates as if they were lifting the championship trophy. Gangwon leveled the score with a goal by Kang Jun-hyeok in the 20th minute of the second half. The match ended 1-1, and Seoul's title was confirmed when Ulsan also drew with Pohang at the same time.

Seoul's last K League 1 title came in 2016, making this their first championship in 10 years. Including the club's predecessor, Anyang LG, this is their seventh title overall. Seoul became only the third team in K League 1 history to clinch the title before the final round, following Jeonbuk Hyundai in 2018 and 2025. Seoul's campaign this season has been dominant.

Seoul surged into the lead from the start of the season. After opening the campaign with three straight wins, alongside Ulsan, Seoul thrashed Gwangju FC 5-0 on March 22, becoming the first team in club history to win its first four matches of a season. The victory put Seoul in sole possession of first place, and they never relinquished the lead on their way to the title.

Seoul won six and drew one of its first seven matches before suffering its first defeat of the season against Daejeon Hana Citizen. The team quickly regained its momentum, however, with a 3-0 rout of Bucheon FC. Seoul also showed remarkable consistency, becoming the only one of the 12 K League 1 clubs this season not to suffer consecutive defeats. After finishing sixth in the league last year, Seoul claimed the title this season on the strength of a stable balance between attack and defense, scoring a league-high 61 goals and conceding just 29, the fewest, in 33 matches.

Head coach Kim Ki-dong guided Seoul to the title in his third year in charge, having taken the helm in 2024. Kim began his coaching career at Pohang Steelers in 2019, where he earned recognition for his abilities after leading the team to a league runner-up finish and a Korea Football Association (FA) Cup title. He secured his first K League 1 championship with Seoul.

The players also made contributions across the squad. Up front, Klimala played the role of finisher with 16 goals and one assist, while Jung Seung-won contributed in both attack and defense with eight goals and seven assists. Anderson also played a key role in the attack, recording three goals and five assists. Yazan and Ross anchored the defense, while captain Kim Jin-su also played a central role for the team.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.