Korea Professional Football League (KPFL) (chairman Kwon Oh-gap) announced the schedule for the 2026 season K League 2 regular rounds from round 1 to round 34. K League 2 will feature 17 teams in total, including new entrants Gimhae, Yongin and Paju, and the regular round will consist of 32 matches per team for a total of 272 matches.
The opening match of the 2026 K League 2 season is Gimhae vs. Ansan at Gimhae Sports Complex at 2 p.m. on Feb. 28 (Sat). Last season's K3 League champion Gimhae has challenged the professional stage this season, and Ansan aims to recover from last season's poor performance and push into the midtable.
At 4:30 p.m. the same day at Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon will face Seoul E-Land Group. Suwon, which narrowly failed to achieve promotion last year, raised expectations for the new season by appointing coach Lee Jeong-hyo. Seoul E-Land Group, entering the third year under coach Kim Do-gyun, is determined to secure promotion this season based on stability.
At 2 p.m. on March 1 (Sun) at Yongin Mir Stadium, Yongin will clash with Cheonan. Yongin, led by inaugural coach Choi Yoon-gyeom, has built a competitive squad with major signings such as Shin Jin-ho, Im Chae-min and Seok Hyun-joon, and Cheonan, led by new coach Park Jin-seop, is entering the new season aiming for a playoff berth.
At the same time at Daegu iM Bank Park, Daegu will face Hwaseong. Daegu were relegated to K League 2 last season, but the retention of Sejingya and Edgar shows a strong desire for promotion. Hwaseong, following last season's new-club shock, aims for a higher ranking this season.
At the same time at Cheongju Sports Complex, Chungbuk Cheongju will meet Suwon FC. Chungbuk Cheongju's new foreign coach Rui Quinta has announced attacking football based on efficiency, and Suwon FC, which appointed coach Park Geon-ha after last season's K League 2 relegation, will challenge for promotion with organic, proactive football.
At 4:30 p.m. the same day at Changwon Football Center, Gyeongnam will face Jeonnam. Both Gyeongnam coach Bae Seong-jae and Jeonnam coach Park Dong-hyuk gained experience coaching in K League 2 before taking charge of their new teams this season, and they are expected to show their respective colors from the opening round.
At 2 p.m. on March 2 (Mon) at Asan Yi Sun-sin Sports Complex, Chungnam Asan will meet Paju. Chungnam Asan appointed new coach Im Gwan-sik and has signaled a strengthening of organization, and Paju will make its first season on the professional stage under foreign coach Gerard Nuss.
At 4:30 p.m. the same day at Busan Gudeok Stadium, Busan will face Seongnam. Busan strengthened its squad for the new season with veteran signings such as Kim Jin-hyeok and Kim Min-hyeok, and Seongnam, which has shown steady improvement since coach Jeon Kyung-joon took over, aims for a higher ranking this season.
After the regular round, the teams finishing first and second will be automatically promoted to K League 1, and the teams finishing third through sixth will go through playoffs, with the final winning team promoted to K League 1. The quarterfinals, pitting third vs. sixth and fourth vs. fifth, will be held on Dec. 3 (Thu), and the playoff between the winners of each match will be held on Dec. 6 (Sun).
However, if the bottom team in K League 1 this season is not Gimcheon Sangmu, the team that loses in the playoff will play a promotion-relegation playoff against the bottom team in K League 1. Conversely, if Gimcheon Sangmu is the bottom team in K League 1, the promotion-relegation playoff will not be held. The promotion-relegation playoff schedule will be determined later based on Gimcheon Sangmu's ranking.
[OSEN]