2016 K League Challenge


The 2016 K League Challenge was the fourth season of the K League Challenge, the second tier South Korean professional league for association football clubs since its establishment in 2013. Top-ranked team gained promotion to the K League Classic and the promotion play-offs among three clubs ranked between 2nd and 4th place was held after the regular season ends.

Teams

, the champions of the 2015 K League Challenge, and Suwon FC, promotion series winners, were promoted to the 2016 K League Classic, then Daejeon Citizen and Busan IPark were relegated from the top tier. A total of eleven teams contested in the league.

Participating clubs

TeamCityManagerHome venueCapacity
Ansan MugunghwaAnsan Lee Heung-silAnsan Wa~ Stadium
Busan IParkBusan Choi Young-junBusan Asiad Stadium
FC AnyangAnyang Lee Young-minAnyang Stadium
Bucheon FC 1995Bucheon Song Sun-hoBucheon Stadium
Chungju HummelChungju Ahn Seung-inChungju Stadium
Daegu FCDaegu Lee Young-jinDaegu Stadium
Daejeon CitizenDaejeon Choi Moon-sikDaejeon World Cup Stadium
Gangwon FCGangneung Choi Yun-kyumGangneung Stadium
Goyang ZaicroGoyang Lee Nak-youngGoyang Stadium
Gyeongnam FCChangwon Kim Jong-booChangwon Football Center
Seoul E-LandSeoul Martin RennieSeoul Olympic Stadium

Stadiums

Primary venues used in the K League Challenge:
Ansan MugunghwaFC AnyangBucheon FC 1995Busan IParkChungju HummelDaegu FC
Ansan Wa~ StadiumAnyang StadiumBucheon StadiumBusan Asiad Main StadiumChungju StadiumDaegu Stadium
Capacity: 35,000Capacity: 17,143Capacity: 34,545Capacity: 53,864Capacity: 15,000Capacity: 68,014
Daejeon CitizenGangwon FCGoyang ZaicroGyeongnam FCSeoul E-Land
Daejeon World Cup StadiumGangneung StadiumGoyang StadiumChangwon Football CenterSeoul Olympic Stadium
Capacity: 40,535Capacity: 22,333Capacity: 41,311Capacity: 15,500Capacity: 69,950

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
TeamManagersKit Manufacturer1Main sponsor1
Ansan MugunghwaZaicroAnsan Government
FC AnyangAstore
Bucheon FC 1995AstoreBucheon Government
Busan IParkAdidasHyundai Development Company
Chungju HummelHummelChungju Government
Daegu FCKelmeDaegu Government
Daejeon CitizenKelmeDaejeon Government
Gyeongnam FCHummelDSME
Gangwon FCAstoreHigh1 Resort
Goyang ZaicroZaicroZaicro
Seoul E-LandNew BalanceE-Land

Foreign players

Restricting the number of foreign players strictly to four per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries. A team could use four foreign players on the field each game.
As of 1 August 2016.
ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Asian Player
FC Anyang Bruninho
Bucheon FC 1995 Edson Paraíba Lukian Waguininho
Busan IPark Nilson Júnior Willian Popp Miloš Stojanović
Chungju Hummel Aubin Kouakou Malcon Rafael Ratão
Daegu FC Alex Cesinha Paulo Sérgio Éder
Daejeon Citizen Gustavo Jean-Claude Bozga
Gyeongnam FC Ivan Herceg Cristian Dănălache Ivan Marković
Gangwon FC Maranhão Matheus Alves Luiz Henrique Serginho
Goyang Zaicro Felipe Paulo Victor
Seoul E-Land Tarabai Carlyle Mitchell

Positions by matchday

Round 1-22

Round 23-44

Results

Matches 1-22

Matches 23-44

Promotion-Relegation Playoffs

Promotion and relegation playoffs will be held between 3rd~5th clubs of 2016 K League Challenge and 11th club of 2016 K League Classic. If scores are tied after regular time at Semi-Playoff and Playoff, the higher placed team advances to the next phase. The same conditions do not apply to Promotion-Relegation Playoffs.

Semi-Playoff

Playoff

Promotion-Relegation Playoffs

First leg

Second leg

Gangwon FC secure promotion to the 2016 K League Classic season, 1:1 on aggregate with away goals.

Season statistics

Top scorers

Top assists

Attendance

Awards

Most Valuable Player of The Round

MVPClub
1 Lim Sun-youngAnsan Mugunghwa
2 Jung Jae-yongFC Anyang
3 Jo Hyeon-wooDaegu FC
4 Jonatas BelussoSeoul E-Land FC
5 Shim Young-sungGangwon FC
6 Lee Young-changChungju Hummel
7 Park Tae-hongDaegu FC
8 Jo Hyeon-wooDaegu FC
9 Willian PoppBusan IPark
10 LukianBucheon FC 1995
11 Jung Jae-yongFC Anyang
12 Jung Jae-yongFC Anyang
13 Park Ji-minChungju Hummel
14 Jung Seung-yongGangwon FC
15 ÉderDaegu FC
16 Jang Baek-gyuChungju Hummel
17 Kim Min-kyunFC Anyang
18 WandersonDaejeon Citizen
19 Jeong Woo-jaeDaegu FC
20 GustavoDaejeon Citizen
21 CesinhaDaegu FC
22 Kim Min-kyunFC Anyang

MVPClub
23 Hwang In-beomDaejeon Citizen
24 Song Soo-youngGyeongnam FC
25 Cristian DănălacheGyeongnam FC
26 Jung Sung-minAnsan Mugunghwa
27 Joo Min-kyuSeoul E-Land FC
28 Ko Kyung-minBusan IPark
29 Jung Seung-yongGangwon FC
30 Kim Dong-chanDaejeon Citizen
31 AlexDaegu FC
32 Han Ji-hoAnsan Mugunghwa
33 Cristian DănălacheGyeongnam FC
34 Aubin KouakouChungju Hummel
35 Willian PoppBusan IPark
36 Lee Ho-seokGyeongnam FC
37 CesinhaDaegu FC
38 Cristian DănălacheGyeongnam FC
39 CesinhaDaegu FC
40 Joo Min-kyuSeoul E-Land FC
41 Cristian DănălacheGyeongnam FC
42 Hong Dong-hyunBusan IPark
43 Jung Seok-hwaBusan IPark
44 CesinhaDaegu FC

Manager of the Month

Season Awards

The 2016 K League Awards was held on 8 November 2016.

K League Challenge Most Valuable Player


K League Best XI

PositionPlayerClub
Goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-wooDaegu FC
Defender Jeong Woo-jaeDaegu FC
Defender Hwang Jae-wonDaegu FC
Defender Lee Han-saemGangwon FC
Defender Jung Seung-yongGangwon FC
Midfielder WaguininhoBucheon FC 1995
Midfielder Lee Hyun-seungAnsan Mugunghwa
Midfielder Hwang In-beomDaejeon Citizen
Midfielder CesinhaDaegu FC
Forward Kim Dong-chanDaejeon Citizen
Forward Willian PoppBusan IPark

K League Challenge Manager of the Year