2025 K League 2 Playoff Race Watch: Alternative Final Day Preview

Even with the 2025 Hana Bank K League 2 season reaching the final day, the race for the playoffs is yet to reach the finish line. With two playoff spots up for grabs, four teams still have a mathematical chance of extending their seasons. What are some of the key matches in the promotion race as the season reaches Round 39?

Don't miss the official K League 2 Round 39 preview here...

Key Final Day Matches

Outside chance of the playoffs

Seongnam FC (6th) vs. Busan IPark (7th)

Seongnam have given themselves a great chance of reaching the playoffs, and head into the final day having won four in a row. But in order for the Magpies to reach the top five, they will not only have to beat Busan IPark, but hope that Jeonnam or Seoul E-Land drop points. All that Jeon Kyun-joon's men can do this Sunday is secure victory against a side that will be reeling from an end-of-season run that saw them drop out of the top five altogether, and facing the reality of another season in K League 2. Busan can't finish any higher than seventh, but could still have a say on who reaches the top five. The last two meetings between the two sides ended 0-0; a repeat of that would do Seongnam no favours at all. 

Avoiding the wooden spoon, and will Cheongju score?

It's a three-way battle between Cheonan City, Chungbuk Cheongju, and Ansan Greeners to avoid the dreaded K League 2 wooden spoon - the indignity of last place. With no relegation from K League 2, avoiding last place is more about pride than anything else. Ansan Greeners currently prop up the K League 2 table, just a point behind Chungbuk Cheongju, but travel to Mokdong to face a playoff-chasing Seoul E-Land. Ansan will have to find a way to score goals, having managed just two in their last five. 

Chungbuk Cheongju, meanwhile, have failed to score in each of their last 11 matches. Will the Lions suddenly find their roar? The last time the Lions scored in a game they won was 17 matches ago, against Ansan Greeners on August 2nd. They face K League 2 champions Incheon United on the road, a side they lost 4-0 to in their last encounter. Chungbuk Cheongju rank second-lowest for shots on target per match with 3.2 and have the second-highest goals against tally with 68.

Cheonan City's far superior goals scored total of 41 means they essentially have a four-point cushion over last place. A total of 41 goals scored is 12 more than Chungbuk Cheongju and 16 more than Ansan Greeners. Realistically, Cheonan will avoid the wooden spoon, but they are on a run of four without a win and will want to end the season on a positive note. They face Gyeongnam away in what is a dead rubber of a fixture. Gyeongnam have a seven-point cushion over Cheonan but could move above Hwaseong into 10th with a win.

Table Movement

Aside from the bottom two places and who finishes 10th or 11th, seventh or eighth is also yet to be decided. It means little, other than ending the season as high up the table as possible, and on a positive note for the supporters who will have endured a tough season following their teams. Busan are currently seventh, but hold just a one-point lead over Gimpo FC in eighth. Busan are away to playoff hopefuls Seongnam, while Gimpo travel to Big Bird to face a Suwon Bluewings side that's looking for momentum heading into the playoffs. 

Playoff momentum?

On the subject of momentum, so far, only two of the four playoff spots have been secured. Suwon Bluewings are guaranteed to finish second, and face 11th in K League 1, and Bucheon FC 1995 have third place locked up, and a bye into the K League 2 Promotion Playoff Final against the winners of fourth versus fifth. With the playoffs coming up next week, form and momentum will be key. Bluewings were held to a 1-1 draw with Ansan Greeners last time out and will want to make amends against Gimpo, while Bucheon are on a run of seven undefeated with five victories. They face a Hwaseong side that has little to play for other than securing 10th spot.

Individual records

Golden Boot

The golden boot race looks set to be won by Incheon United's Stefan Mugosa, with the Montenegro international on 20 goals, three clear of Seongnam's Leonardo Ruiz, and four clear of Jeonnam's Valdivia. Ruiz, or Valdivia for that matter, will need to have an incredible last day of the season in order to finish at the K League 2 top scorer. Ruiz and Seongnam face Busan on the final day, but the Colombian has failed to score against the Royals this season in two appearances, but did score one in three against them last year. Valdivia and Jeonnam face Chungnam Asan, and the Brazilian has registered one goal and one assist against the Owls this season.

Top Assist Maker

The race for top assist maker is a lot tighter and looks like it will go down to the wire. Currently, Seoul E-Land's Euller leads the way with 11, just one ahead of Incheon's Gerso Fernandes, and two clear of Valdivia and Seongnam's Shin Jae-won. Gerso has the better record against his team's Round 39 opponents, with two goals and two assists against Chungbuk Cheongju, compared to one assist in two appearances for Euller against Ansan Greeners, one goal and one assist for Valdivia versus Chungnam Asan, and zero assists in two appearances for Shin Jae-won. 

Where to Watch

Watch all matches live on TV.KLeague.com.