1996 K League
In-game article clicks load inline without leaving the challenge.
The 1996 Korean Professional Football League was the 14th season of K League since its establishment in 1983. South Korean government and the Korean Professional Football Federation introduced a decentralization policy to proliferate the popularity of football nationally in preparation for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which they wanted to host, so some clubs located in the capital Seoul (LG Cheetahs, Ilhwa Chunma) moved to other cities according to the new policy in this season.
Regular season
First stage
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 32 | 17 | +15 | 36 | Qualification for the playoffs |
| 2 | Pohang Atoms | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 24 | 12 | +12 | 35 | Qualification for the Asian Club Championship |
| 3 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 28 | 18 | +10 | 30 | |
| 4 | Bucheon Yukong | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 28 | 29 | −1 | 20 | |
| 5 | Jeonbuk Dinos | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 25 | −4 | 19 | |
| 6 | Jeonnam Dragons | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 29 | −11 | 18 | |
| 7 | Busan Daewoo Royals | 16 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 23 | 28 | −5 | 15 | |
| 8 | Anyang LG Cheetahs | 16 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 21 | 28 | −7 | 15 | |
| 9 | Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma | 16 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 17 | 26 | −9 | 11 |
Second stage
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 29 | 15 | +14 | 33 | Qualification for the playoffs |
| 2 | Bucheon Yukong | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 27 | 22 | +5 | 28 | |
| 3 | Pohang Atoms | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 30 | 26 | +4 | 26 | |
| 4 | Busan Daewoo Royals | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 22 | 23 | −1 | 21 | |
| 5 | Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 35 | 37 | −2 | 21 | |
| 6 | Jeonnam Dragons | 16 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 22 | 24 | −2 | 18 | |
| 7 | Jeonbuk Dinos | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 24 | −4 | 18 | |
| 8 | Anyang LG Cheetahs | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 23 | 28 | −5 | 17 | |
| 9 | Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i | 16 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 28 | 37 | −9 | 15 |
Championship playoffs
Summary
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i | 3–2 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | 0–1 | 3–1 |
Final table
| Pos | Team | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i (C) | Qualification for the Asian Club Championship |
| 2 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup |
Awards
Main awards
Best XI
Source: