WK League News

The basics

The WK League is the highest level of women’s football in South Korea. It’s technically a semi-professional league, but most of the teams and players are effectively pro. The league started in 2009 with six teams, four of which are still competing today. They’ve been joined along the way by four newer teams to complete the current 8-team structure.

The regular season consists of 28 rounds, with each team playing each opponent four times. After R28, the first place team proceeds directly to a two-legged championship final. The second and third-placed teams square up in a playoff (one-legged, hosted by the second-placed team) for the chance to challenge them. As for the rest? There’s no relegation system, so for teams finishing below third place, their season ends after R28.

Teams

We’ll have more detailed coverage of the teams in the coming weeks and months, but for now here’s a quick summary of the eight teams contesting the 2025 WK League.

Changnyeong WFC: The league’s newest addition, having joined in 2018, Changnyeong tend to suffer from being underfunded and rural. Despite some promising new signings, they finished the 2024 season in 8th position and there were even fears they wouldn’t return to the league this year due to financial difficulties, so they’ll certainly be hoping for a better finish in 2025.

Gyeongju KHNP: Founded under the umbrella of an existing men’s football club, Gyeongju joined the league in 2017. After a rocky start and some behind-the-scenes issues, they have finished as runners-up five times. They narrowly missed out on a place in the finals last year after a penalty shoot-out in the playoff against Suwon, and go into 2025 seeking vengeance.

Hwacheon KSPO: Nestled deep in the Gangwon countryside, their home stadium is about as rural as it gets. In 2024, Hwacheon finished at the top of the table in the regular league but fell short in the finals, so they’re another team who will be extra hungry for a championship title this year.

Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels: Founded in 1993 as the first semi-professional women’s team in the country, the Red Angels have earned bragging rights as its most successful team. They claimed the title eleven times in a row from 2013-2023, but a run of bad form in 2024 left them in 4th, just outside the playoff spots for the first time ever.

Mungyeong Sangmu: Mungyeong are the women’s football team of the South Korean army, so their players are all soldiers. Because of this, they don’t participate in the rookie player draft, so recruiting top players can be tricky, but they consistently draw the biggest crowds in the league.

Sejong Sportstoto: In the league since 2011, this team has previously been based in Chungbuk, Daejeon, and Gumi before settling in Sejong (for now, at least). Despite moving around the country, they have rarely moved very far up the league table, struggling to compete with more monied teams.

Seoul City Amazones: Another of the league’s founding members, Seoul reached the heady heights of 2nd place in 2013 but also seem to have suffered as the teams around them have been able to pour more funds into their squads and facilities.

Suwon FC Women: Previously known as Suwon Facilities Management Corporation WFC, they merged with men’s pro team Suwon FC in 2022. This makes Suwon the only South Korean club with both men’s and women’s teams competing at the highest level of football. Already a strong team, they also benefit from the club’s facilities and infrastructure. Suwon claimed their second WK League title in 2024.

Where and how to watch

The best way to watch WK League is, of course, to head down to your nearest team’s home ground and get cheering! Unfortunately, weekday evening fixtures and rural stadiums can make it tricky, but all matches are streamed live (and available to watch later) on YouTube via iTOP21sports.

If you’re heading to a match, some things to know: The only team that charges for entry is Suwon FC. Tickets are sold at the gate and cost 5000 won. For other teams, you do not need a ticket to watch, although occasionally you may get handed a raffle ticket or something at the gate if there is an event taking place. Some other teams sell merchandise at matches so it’s still worth taking your card/cash in case you want to buy a jersey or souvenir.

At the moment, all 2025 fixtures (except the season opener, playoff and finals) are scheduled at 19:00. Evening fixtures at Mungyeong have usually started two (or three) hours early due to issues with stadium lighting. If you’re heading to Mungyeong, be sure to double check kick off time, and don’t be alarmed if it seems like an odd time and/or is scheduled at a different time to all the other fixtures on the same day.

Unlike matches in the men’s professional leagues, home and away supporters tend to enter through the same gate(s) and seating areas are less strictly divided, especially where seating is more limited or on the opposite side of the pitch to the dugouts (for example, at Gyeongju). In general, away fans are fairly few in number but tend to congregate towards the same end as their team dugout. It’s usually easy to identify away fans by their clothing, scarves, and so on, although it can be more difficult if everyone is wrapped up in winter coats! If you’re not sure, just ask anyone around you – crowds at WK League are pretty friendly. Even if you sit in the ‘wrong end’, it won’t be a big deal at all, and the worst that could happen is probably just someone politely pointing out a better place to sit!

Home grounds for the 2025 WK League are as follows:
Changnyeong WFC: Changnyeong Sports Park (Main stadium)
Gyeongju KHNP: Gyeongju Football Park (Pitch 3)
Hwacheon KSPO: Hwacheon Sports Park (Main stadium)
Incheon Hyundai: Incheon Asiad (Main stadium)
Mungyeong Sangmu: Mungyeong Civic Stadium
Sejong Sportstoto: Sejong Civic Stadium
Seoul WFC: Sangam World Cup Stadium (Auxiliary pitch)
Suwon FC Women: Suwon Sports Complex (Main stadium)

Head over to our fixtures calendar to start making your plans!

What else do you want to know about WK League? Let us know!