Give with one hand and take with the other. The K-League has won, lost, and missed some derbies or rival games in 2026. From the first top-flight clash between Bucheon FC and Jeju SK in 1995, to the Suwon Derby in the second-tier league, to the return of the Gyeongin Derby, there is a lot to look forward to in the new season.
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Bucheon FC 1995 vs Jeju SK
Why is this a derby or rivalry with two teams hundreds of miles apart, let alone a flight away? Jeju SK was once known as Bucheon SK, but moved to Seogwipo City on Jeju Island in 2006, leaving the people of Bucheon without a team. Bucheon FC 1995 as we know it today is a Phoenix club that was founded in 2007 and eventually joined the K-League 2 in 2013. Bucheon fans have been eagerly awaiting a match against Jeju Island for years, and they finally got their wish when the Islanders were relegated in 2019. But Jeju Island won all three games in the 2020 K-League 2, while Bucheon did not score a goal and conceded 7 goals. The Bucheon team, which was promoted today, brought a different prospect to the Jeju team this time.
Beijing Derby
Incheon United’s immediate return to K-League 1 means the immediate return of the Gyeongin Derby. There is no love lost between the two groups of supporters, named after the Gyeong-in Expressway that connects the two cities. Things got even more heated after the Aquarius incident in 2024, when Incheon fans, excited by the provocative behavior of Seoul goalkeeper Baek Jong-bum, decided to steer Aquarius in his direction. Incheon, despite being the underdog in this competition, has had some notable wins over the years.
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suwon derby
The relegation of Suwon FC to K League 2 and the defeat of Suwon Blue Wings in the playoffs mean that Suwon City, the “Korean Football Capital”, does not have a top professional football team for the first time since the latter was founded. But it means the Suwon derby returns for the first time since 2023. There have been some real ding-dong battles over the years, including Suwon FC’s 5-4 victory over the Big Bird in 2016, Suwon FC’s 4-2 victory in 2022 and the 3-2 Blue Wings victory in 2023.
lost
moonlight derby
One derby or rivalry game that has been lost, one that seems to have produced goals and drama, is the Moonlight Derby between Daegu FC and Gwangju FC. This is evidenced by Daegu’s relegation to K-League 2, which means fans will have to wait until 2027 at the earliest to see more goal-fests and drama, such as Gwangju’s 6-4 victory in Daegu in 2020 and Daegu’s dramatic, belated, hope-inducing win last season. Why is it called the “Moonlight Derby,” you ask? There is political competition between the two regions of Honam and Yeongnam, and the baseball teams also regard each other as rivals, but the name comes from the old names of the two cities – Dal (moon) comes from Daegu’s old name “Dalgubeol”, and “Bit” (light) comes from Gwangju’s old name “Bitgoeul”.
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Super Match – FC Seoul vs Suwon Blue Wings
The Super Series is arguably South Korea’s biggest derby or rivalry game, but 2026 will be the K-League’s third season without a competition. Suwon Blue Wings failed to qualify for the second consecutive season, which means the best chance of meeting FC Seoul again will be in the cup.
Seoul Derby
There has only been one Seoul derby between FC Seoul and Seoul E-Land, and that was in the 2024 cup. If there is another one, there will have to be another elimination round. Seoul E-Land has hinted at promotion in the past few years, entering the playoffs two consecutive years, but Mokdong fans will have to wait until 2027 at the earliest for a K-League Seoul derby with Seoul FC.
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Liberty Derby – FC Anyang vs. Suwon Blue Wings
In the first super match, Anyang faced Suwon Samsung. There are only two of these new cock derbies, both in the 2022 promotion and relegation play-offs, when Suwon Blue Wings easily defeated Anyang FC. Suwon FC will play one more season in K-League 2, while Anyang FC will have an incredible first season in K-League 1 in 2025, meaning there are no league derbies in the league yet.