FC Seoul Clinch K League 1 Title With Win Over Gangwon on the 24th, Chasing First Crown in 10 Years
If FC Seoul beat Gangwon FC on the 24th, they will clinch the K League 1 title regardless of their remaining matches. They are 16 points ahead of second-place Ulsan.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
Seoul, who hosted Gimcheon Sangmu on October 18, drew 2-2. Their next match is against Gangwon FC on the 24th at 2 p.m. at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The Korea Professional Football League's official preview says Seoul's title would be confirmed regardless of Ulsan's result if they win this match. A win ends it.
There is one key question: Will Seoul beat Gangwon and clinch the title on their own? Newsis reports that Seoul lead with 66 points, while second-place Ulsan (50) are 16 points behind (as of 07:00 on October 23, 2026). There are also concerns. The league's preview noted that the key is cutting down on recent goals conceded and regaining defensive focus.
FC Seoul Title Scenarios: Calculating With a 16-Point Gap
The math is simple. Both teams have played 32 matches, and with Round 33 plus five Final Round matches, six games remain. If Ulsan win all six, they can add 18 points to reach 68. If Seoul beat Gangwon, they will reach 69 points. Even if Seoul lose all their remaining matches, Ulsan cannot reach that total.
If Seoul do not win, the math gets more complicated. All six Round 33 matches kick off at 2 p.m. at the same time, so the Ulsan–Pohang result at that same time must also be watched. The table below is Daol's own calculation based only on points (as of 07:00 on October 23, 2026). The only scenario officially confirmed by the league is 'Seoul win: title clinched.'
| Seoul result | Ulsan result | Seoul points | Ulsan maximum points | Confirmed same day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Doesn't matter | 69 | 68 | Confirmed (league announcement) |
| Draw | Draw/Loss | 67 | 66 | Confirmed |
| Draw | Win | 67 | 68 | Not confirmed |
| Loss | Loss | 66 | 65 | Confirmed |
| Loss | Draw | 66 | 66 | Not confirmed (tie possible) |
| Loss | Win | 66 | 68 | Not confirmed |
Some reports have calculated differently. Daily25 reported that if Ulsan draw or lose, the title is confirmed regardless of Seoul's result. However, if Seoul lose and Ulsan draw, the totals would be 66 points to 51, and if Ulsan then win their remaining five matches, they would be tied on 66 points. The competition regulations compare goals scored when points are level. Therefore, this case cannot be described as 'confirmed.'
In the official standings (as of October 22, 2026), five teams from Ulsan (50) down to Jeju (46) are within four points of each other. Third-place Jeonbuk and fourth-place Gangwon are tied on 47 points, with the order decided by goals scored, 42 to 39. The title race is effectively Seoul alone, while five teams are bunched together in the race for second place.
Coach Kim Ki-dong and Klimala's 16 Goals: The Homework Left by the 2-2 Draw With Gimcheon
Coach Kim Ki-dong was born on January 12, 1972, making him 54 years old. In 2020, as Pohang's manager, he led the team to third place and won the Manager of the Year award. He took charge at Seoul in December 2023.
Polish-born Patrik Klimala (28) is carrying the scoring burden, with 16 goals in 29 matches this season, including a brace against Gimcheon and scoring in four straight matches for five goals. Some reprinted articles listed the Gimcheon score as 1-1, but official match footage and Yonhap News records show it was 2-2. Attack is hot, but defense is the problem.
K League 1 title prize of 500 million won, seventh overall title and first in 10 years
Seoul's last title came on November 6, 2016. In the final match that year, they beat Jeonbuk 1-0 to clinch their sixth overall title. Yonhap News reports that this title will be the club's overall seventh title. Under Article 31 of the competition regulations, the title prize is 500 million won, and the runner-up prize is 200 million won.
On the 24th at 2 p.m., all six Round 33 matches kick off simultaneously. After that, five Final Round matches remain.
Related official sites
- Korea Professional Football League K League official website — check the Round 33 schedule and match results
- FC Seoul official website — home match viewing and ticket information
- K League official FC Seoul info and standings — check the latest standings and points
- K League official competition regulations — original text of the ranking method and prize rules
Representative image · Archival photo · Not an on-site photo of the match described in this article · Photo composite · Photo=Wikimedia Commons (Exj), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo=Wikimedia Commons (JukoFF), CC BY-SA 4.0
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