Challengers League

Challengers League

Countries	Korea Republic
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Founded	2007
Number of teams	16
Levels on pyramid	3
Promotion to	National League (no promotion)
Relegation to	None
Domestic cup(s)	Korean FA Cup
League cup(s)	Challengers Cup
Current champions	Gyeongju Citizen (2011)
2011 Challengers League

The Challengers League is a top amateur football competition in South Korea. Created in 2007, it is the third tier of South Korean football league system

History

2007 was the inaugural season of the K3 League, and ten teams competed in the competition.

The season operated a two-stage system, with each side playing each other once in each stage for a combined total of eighteen matches (nine in each stage). The winners of both stages, Hwasung Shinwoo Electronics FC and Seoul United respectively, plus the two teams with the best overall record from both stages, Cheonan FC and Yong-in FC, entered the championship playoffs. Seoul United emerged victorious in the championship playoffs, defeating Hwasung Shinwoo Electronics FC 3–0 on aggregate. The four playoff teams earned a spot in the 2008 FA Cup competition.

Seven new clubs registered ahead of the 2008 season with just one of the founder members, Daegu Korea Powertrain, withdrawing from the league set-up.

After the first stage of the 2008 season, Changwon United was withdrawn the league due to financial problem. At the end of the 2008 season, Seoul Pabal FC was closed because some players of Seoul Pabal FC were implicated in the K3 League match fixing scandal.

From the 2009 season, 17 clubs competed the league due to three new clubs registered.

On December 1, 2009, Korea Football Association announced that Seoul Yangcheon FC, Yeonggwang FC and Chuncheon Citizen FC would join the league for the 2010. And, KFA has also announced that an undergraduate never play the league game from the 2012 season and top nine teams of league earned a spot in next year FA Cup competition. On January 15, 2010, KFA announced the league schedule in the 2010 season. Seoul Yangcheon FC is postponed joining the league to the 2011 season. And, Jeonju Ongoeul FC is defunct from the 2010 season.

K3 League was renamed as the Challengers League prior to the start of the 2011 season.

Competition Format

In 2008 season, it operates its season in two stages, with the winners of each stage and the two runners-up advancing to the post-season championship playoffs. If in the event of the same team winning both stages, there will be no playoff.

In 2009 season, championship playoff was abolished. Each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 32 games.

The 2010 season runs from March 13 through October 30. The 16 teams in the league are divided into the Group A and Group B — eight in the Group A, eight in the Group B. Each team competes against the other team in same group twice, home and away, the other group's team once, home or away, for a total of 22 games. The two group winners and two runners-up qualify to the Championship playoff.

Members for 2011 season

The following 16 clubs will compete in the Challengers League during the 2011 season.

Defunct former clubs

• Daegu Korea Powertrain FC (2007)
• Changwon United (2007-08 1st Stage)
• Seoul Pabal FC (2007-08)
• Jeonju Ongoeul FC (2008-09)
• Samcheok Shinwoo Electronics (2007-10)
• Yongin FC (2007-10)

Previous winners

Titles By Season

Titles By Club

Notable players

• Cha Gi-Suk (Gyeongju Citizen)
• Cho Hyun-Doo (Yongin FC)
• Hwang Yeon-Seok (Seoul United)
• Jang Dae-Il (Formerly of Yangju FC)
• Jung Jae-Kwon (Seoul United)
• Lee Byung-Keun (Seoul United)
• Lee Sang-Hun (Yongin FC)

League Sponsor

• 2007: None
• 2008-: Daum

Crest

• 

  2007-10

• 

  2011-

See also

• K-League
• Korean FA Cup
• Korean National League
• Korean football league system
• List of football clubs in South Korea

External links

• K3 League official website (Korean)
• K3 League official website (English)
• K3 League at ROKfootball (English)