K-League Confirmed to Head Coach All New Season In Upheaval 'Replacement Of 11 Teams'

*This content was translated by AI.

Ahead of the new season, all the coaches who will lead the K-League 1 and 2 teams in professional football have been confirmed. Five K-League teams and K-League 2 have been changed to six teams (excluding three new teams).

Kimcheon Sangmu, the only one who could not find a new manager amid the turbulent change of the K-League manager, appointed Joo Seung-jin (51) on the last day of 2025, and the K-League will face a new year without a team whose manager is vacant. Gimcheon's head coach was vacant when coach Chung Jung-yong (57) stepped down earlier, but after leading Hwaseong FC K League 3 runner-up in the 2024 season, Joo, who served as a member of the Korea Professional Football Federation's Technical Research Group (TSG) and Daegu FC's head coach, took the helm.

In the 2026 season of K League 1, as many as five teams, including Gimcheon, welcomed the new year under the new head coach system. Jeonbuk, which achieved the K League 1 and the Korea Cup "double (two gold medals)" last year, filled the gap with former Gimcheon coach Chung Jung-yong as Gus Foye left for the first time in a year in conjunction with coach Thanos' racist disciplinary action. Coach Chung will take on a new challenge in Jeonbuk after being recognized for his leadership in leading Gimcheon and leading the team to third place in the K League for two consecutive seasons.

Last season alone, Kim Pan-gon (57) and Shin Tae-yong (56) resigned one after another, and Ulsan HD, which managed to stay through the final game of the season, prepares for the new season under the team legend Kim Hyun-seok (57). Jeju SK, which managed to stay after the promotion playoff (PO), will challenge the rebound by appointing Sergio Costa (53, Portugal), who assisted Paulo Bento (57), the former coach of the Korean national soccer team. Gwangju FC, where head coach Lee Jung-hyo (51) left, has given a new baton to former head coach Jungkyu Lee (44) of Seoul E-Land.

In K League 2, as many as six teams will try to "promote" the new season under the new coach.

The team that received the most attention is by far Suwon Samsung. Suwon, which is facing its third season of the K League 2 without being promoted without crossing the PO gateway, appointed Lee Jung-hyo after breaking up with manager Byun Sung-hwan (47) due to the expiration of his contract. Coach Lee Jung-hee will head to the K League 2 stage after being recognized for his leadership in K League 1 following Yoon Jung-hwan (53), who led Gangwon FC to second place in the K League 1 in the 2023 season and took the helm of Incheon United.

Suwon FC, which suffered relegation after the promotion PO, terminated its contract with coach Kim Eun-joong (47) and instead appointed Park Geon-ha (55), former manager of Suwon Samsung. Coach Park, who led Seoul E-Land and Suwon Samsung, returned to the field as a coach after serving as a member of the league TSG and a coach for the Korean national team.

In addition, Gyeongnam FC, which finished the season with Lee Eul-yong (51) stepping down during the last season and acting coach Kim Pil-jong (43), appointed Bae Sung-jae (47), former coach of Chungnam Asan. Lim Kwan-sik (51), former Ansan Greeners coach, was appointed as the new head coach of Chungnam Asan, which was also vacant. Lim Kwan-sik, the new coach, served as a member of the league's TSG last year.

The Jeonnam Dragons, who broke up with head coach Kim Hyun-seok after a year due to the expiration of their contract, took the helm of Park Dong-hyuk (47), who led Chungnam Asan and Gyeongnam. Coach Park returned to the scene as a coach after serving as a member of the league's TSG last year. Chungcheongbuk-do Cheongju, where Kim Gil-sik (48) left after half a year of taking office, has newly appointed Manuel Reis (66, Portugal) in K League 2.

Along with Gerard Nuss (41, Spain), coach of Paju Frontier FC, who will participate in the K League 2, two teams will lead foreign managers in the K League 2 in the 2026 season. Including the K-League 1, there are three players, including Jeju coach Sergio Costa.

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*This content was translated by AI.