Jeonbuk Hyundai and Gwangju FC face off this weekend... There is a big difference in rankings, but the crisis situation is similar.

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Ahn Hong-seok = Jeonbuk Hyundai and Gwangju FC, who are in different positions on the leaderboard but are equally at risk, will engage in a showdown they cannot back down from this weekend.

Jeonbuk will play the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 30th round home game against Gwangju at Jeonju World Cup Stadium at 4:30 pm on the 20th.

Jeonbuk is in 3rd place (43 points), and Gwangju is in the lowest place, 12th place (14 points).

But their performance in the league is equally depressing.

Even though Jeonbuk has several top foreign strikers in the K-League, such as Compagno, Thiago, and Motta, they have been consistent with a frustrating offense throughout the season.

The sighs of disappointment from fans who were hoping for a second consecutive league win do not cease in Jeonju Castle.

However, the 2-1 come-from-behind win against Japan's powerhouse Kashiwa Reysol in the first round of the 2026-2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) league stage midweek raises expectations of a turnaround.

If Thiago and Italo, who both scored the equalizing goal and the comeback goal, show off their sharp shooting skills in the game against Gwangju, they can expect a second consecutive win in the official game.

Jeonbuk needs to win for the enjoyment of the entire league.

FC Seoul has already crossed the 9th division of the championship.

If Jeonbuk loses this time, the gap with second place Ulsan HD (47 points) could widen further.

If Ulsan's runner-up finish is effectively confirmed before even entering the final round, the fun of the last-minute ranking battle in the league will inevitably be halved.

Gwangju is also desperate for a win against Jeonbuk.

Gwangju, which already looks likely to be relegated, is breaking its record of humiliation in each round.

Gwangju only drew 1-1 with FC Anyang in the previous round, extending the record for the most wins combined in K League 1 and 2 to 27 games (11 draws, 16 losses).

If things continue like this, we may end up with another humiliating record.

Gwangju has accumulated 14 points so far. If they do not continue to accumulate wins, they may end up setting a new record for the lowest number of points since the 2014 season when K-League 1 became a 12-team system.

Currently, the record in this category is held by Daejeon (19 points) in the 2017 season.

As this is the last round before the 4-game international break, both Jeonbuk and Gwangju are expected to compete with all their available power.

Ulsan travels to Anyang with the faintest hope of a come-from-behind victory.

At 7 p.m. on the 19th, they will challenge for their third consecutive win against FC Anyang at Anyang Stadium.

With 9 games remaining, including this 30th round, the point gap between Ulsan and leader Seoul (67 points) is 15 points.

Seoul will face the Pohang Steelers, who have fallen to 8th place (37 points), at Sangju Citizen Stadium on the afternoon of the 20th.

◇ Hana Bank K League 1 2026 30th round schedule

▲ Saturday the 19th

Bucheon-Gimcheon (4:30 p.m., Bucheon Sports Complex)

Anyang-Ulsan (7 p.m., Anyang Sports Complex)

▲ 20th (Sun)

Gangwon-Jeju (Gangneung High1 Arena)

Jeonbuk-Gwangju (Jeonju World Cup Stadium, 4:30 p.m.)

Incheon-Daejeon (Incheon Soccer Stadium)

Pohang-Seoul (Sangju Citizen’s Stadium, 7 p.m. above)