The 2016 K League Challenge was the fourth season of the K League 2, the second-highest division in the South Korean football league system. Originally, K League Challenge champions could be promoted to the K League Classic, but Ansan Mugunghwa lost its qualification for the promotion after Ansan Government decided to break up with police football team from next year. Runners-up Daegu FC directly qualified for the Classic instead of champions Ansan Mugunghwa, and third, fourth and fifth-placed team advanced to the promotion playoffs.
Teams
Team changes Relegated from K League Classic Daejeon Citizen Busan IPark
Promoted to K League Classic Sangju Sangmu Suwon FC
Stadiums Ansan Mugunghwa FC Anyang Bucheon FC 1995 Ansan Wa~ Stadium Anyang Stadium Bucheon Stadium Capacity: 35,000 Capacity: 17,143 Capacity: 34,545 Busan IPark Chungju Hummel Daegu FC Busan Asiad Main Stadium Chungju Stadium Daegu Stadium Capacity: 53,864 Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 68,014 Daejeon Citizen Gangwon FC Goyang Zaicro Daejeon World Cup Stadium Gangneung Stadium Goyang Stadium Capacity: 40,535 Capacity: 22,333 Capacity: 41,311 Gyeongnam FC Seoul E-Land Changwon Football Center Seoul Olympic Stadium Capacity: 15,500 Capacity: 69,950
Personnel and sponsoring
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Team Managers Kit manufacturer Main sponsor Ansan Mugunghwa Lee Heung-sil Zaicro Ansan Government FC Anyang Lee Young-min Astore Bucheon FC 1995 Song Sun-ho Astore Bucheon Government Busan IPark Choi Young-jun Adidas Hyundai Development Company Chungju Hummel Ahn Seung-in Hummel Chungju Government Daegu FC Lee Young-jin Kelme Daegu Government Daejeon Citizen Choi Moon-sik Kelme Daejeon Government Gyeongnam FC Kim Jong-boo Hummel DSME Gangwon FC Choi Yun-kyum Astore High1 Resort Goyang Zaicro Lee Nak-young Zaicro Zaicro Seoul E-Land Martin Rennie New Balance E-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.
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Asian 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 Wesley Alex Cesinha Paulo Sérgio Éder Lima Daejeon Citizen Gustavo Sauer 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
League table
Positions by matchday
Round 1–22
Round 23–44
Results Matches 1–20
Matches 21–40
Promotion playoffs
Bracket
First round
Semi-final
Final The promotion-relegation playoffs were held between the winners of the 2016 K League Challenge playoffs and the 11th-placed club of the 2016 K League Classic. The winner on aggregate score after both matches earned entry into the 2017 K League Classic.
1–1 on aggregate. Gangwon FC won on away goals and were promoted to the K League Classic, while Seongnam FC were relegated to the K League Challenge.
Player statistics Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals 1 Kim Dong-chan Daejeon Citizen20 2 Cristian Dănălache Gyeongnam FC19 3 Willian Popp Busan IPark18 4 Paulo Sérgio Daegu FC17 5 Lukian Bucheon FC 199515 6 Joo Min-kyu Seoul E-Land14 7 Kim Shin Chungju Hummel13 8 Tarabai Seoul E-Land129 Matheus Alves Gangwon FC11 Cesinha Daegu FC Kim Min-kyun FC Anyang
Top assist providers RankPlayerClubAssists1 Lee Ho-seok Gyeongnam FC10 Jung Seok-hwa Busan IPark3 Cesinha Daegu FC8 Kim Dong-chan Daejeon Citizen 5 Moon Ki-han Bucheon FC 199576 Gustavo Sauer Daejeon Citizen6 Song Soo-young Gyeongnam FC Kim Shin Chungju Hummel Jin Chang-soo Bucheon FC 1995 Lee Hyun-seung Ansan Mugunghwa Han Ji-ho Ansan Mugunghwa Cristian Dănălache Gyeongnam FC
Attendance Attendants who entered with free ticket were not counted.
Awards Main awards The 2016 K League Awards was held on 8 November 2016.
Most Valuable Player: Kim Dong-chan (Daejeon Citizen) Top goalscorer: Kim Dong-chan (Daejeon Citizen) Top assist provider: Lee Ho-seok (Gyeongnam FC) Manager of the Year: Son Hyun-jun (Daegu FC)
Best XI Position Player Club Goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo Daegu FCDefenders Jeong Woo-jae Daegu FC Hwang Jae-won Daegu FC Lee Han-saem Gangwon FC Jung Seung-yong Gangwon FCMidfielders Waguininho Bucheon FC 1995 Lee Hyun-seung Ansan Mugunghwa Hwang In-beom Daejeon Citizen Cesinha Daegu FCForwards Kim Dong-chan Daejeon Citizen Willian Popp Busan IPark
Player of the Round
RoundPlayerClub1 Lim Sun-youngAnsan Mugunghwa2 Jung Jae-yongFC Anyang3 Jo Hyeon-wooDaegu FC4 Jonatas BelussoSeoul E-Land5 Shim Young-sungGangwon FC6 Lee Young-changChungju Hummel7 Park Tae-hongDaegu FC8 Jo Hyeon-wooDaegu FC9 Willian PoppBusan IPark10 LukianBucheon FC 199511 Jung Jae-yongFC Anyang12 Jung Jae-yongFC Anyang13 Park Ji-minChungju Hummel14 Jung Seung-yongGangwon FC15 Éder LimaDaegu FC16 Jang Baek-gyuChungju Hummel17 Kim Min-kyunFC Anyang18 WandersonDaejeon Citizen19 Jeong Woo-jaeDaegu FC20 Gustavo SauerDaejeon Citizen21 CesinhaDaegu FC22 Kim Min-kyunFC Anyang
RoundPlayerClub23 Hwang In-beomDaejeon Citizen24 Song Soo-youngGyeongnam FC25 Cristian DănălacheGyeongnam FC26 Jung Sung-minAnsan Mugunghwa27 Joo Min-kyuSeoul E-Land28 Ko Kyung-minBusan IPark29 Jung Seung-yongGangwon FC30 Kim Dong-chanDaejeon Citizen31 Wesley AlexDaegu FC32 Han Ji-hoAnsan Mugunghwa33 Cristian DănălacheGyeongnam FC34 Aubin KouakouChungju Hummel35 Willian PoppBusan IPark36 Lee Ho-seokGyeongnam FC37 CesinhaDaegu FC38 Cristian DănălacheGyeongnam FC39 CesinhaDaegu FC40 Joo Min-kyuSeoul E-Land41 Cristian DănălacheGyeongnam FC42 Hong Dong-hyunBusan IPark43 Jung Seok-hwaBusan IPark44 CesinhaDaegu FC
Manager of the Month MonthManagerClubDivisionMarch/April Choi Yong-sooFC SeoulK League ClassicMay Nam Ki-ilGwangju FCK League ClassicJune Lee Heung-silAnsan MugunghwaK League ChallengeJuly Choi Kang-heeJeonbuk Hyundai MotorsK League ClassicAugust Choi Young-junBusan IParkK League ChallengeSeptember Choi Yun-kyumGangwon FCK League ChallengeOctober Hwang Sun-hongFC SeoulK League Classic
See also 2016 in South Korean football 2016 K League Classic 2016 Korean FA Cup
References
External links Official website Review at K League