2026 K League 1 Round 15 Preview | OneFootball

K League 1 wraps up this weekend before a seven-week World Cup break. Round 15 season sees Jeju SK and FC Anyang meet in an important clash between two sides separated by just one point in the standings. Elsewhere, Gangwon FC look to continue their unbeaten run and strengthen their push towards the top of the table, while FC Seoul forward Leonardo Ruiz looks to build on back-to-back goals after helping the league leaders return to winning ways.

Match of the Round

Jeju and Anyang target a move up the table

Round 15 features a meeting between seventh-placed Jeju SK (18 points) and eighth-placed FC Anyang (17 points). With only one point separating the two sides, another tightly contested battle in the race for the top half is expected on the island this weekend.

Jeju have steadily built momentum since securing their first win of the season against Bucheon FC 1995 in Round 6. They have recorded five wins, one draw and three losses across their last nine matches, with the standout result coming in Round 13 when they defeated league leaders FC Seoul. Negueba played a major role in that victory, using his pace to set up Park Chang-jun’s opening goal in the 18th minute before also creating the sequence that led to Kim Jun-ha’s goal early in the second half. Although Jeju suffered a 2-1 defeat to Ulsan HD in the midweek round, Negueba still found the net and continued his strong form. His explosive dribbling and direct attacking play are expected to remain central to Jeju’s approach.

Anyang, meanwhile, are winless in their last five matches, recording three draws and one loss across their most recent four. Despite that run, Airton Moisés has maintained his scoring touch. After finding the net against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in Round 13, he scored again against Gimcheon in midweek to make it goals in consecutive matches. The Brazilian has now recorded five goals in 13 appearances this season and remains Anyang’s leading scorer.

Anyang will also hope to benefit from the return of Matheus Oliveira, who came back into the side against Gimcheon Sangmu in Round 14. Matheus has recorded three assists this season, placing him joint-top in that regard. The partnership between Airton and Matheus will likely play a decisive role in how Anyang attempt to break down Jeju’s defence.

Anyang won the first meeting between the two sides this season 2-1. Matheus scored twice in that match, while Negueba also found the net, highlighting their influence. Once again, the performances of those players could prove decisive. Jeju and Anyang meet for the second time this season on Sunday, May 17th at 4:30 PM at Jeju World Cup Stadium.

Team of the Round

The Bears unbeaten in four

Gangwon FC (fifth, 21 points) are unbeaten in their last four matches with two wins and two draws. After failing to win any of their opening five matches of the season, Gangwon have transformed their campaign with five wins, three draws and one loss across their subsequent nine games.

At the centre of Gangwon’s turnaround has been Kim Dae-won. The forward has appeared in every match this season and recorded five goals and two assists, consistently troubling opposition defences with his movement and finishing. His performances were recognised with the K League Player of the Month award for April.

Gangwon’s defensive stability has also been a major strength in recent weeks. They have conceded only once across their last four matches, demonstrating impressive organisation at the back. Goalkeeper Park Cheong-hyo has played a key role, recording a league-high seven clean sheets in 14 appearances this season.

With both their attack and defence performing consistently, Gangwon now prepare to face Ulsan HD in Round 15. Gangwon lost the first meeting between the two sides this season 3-1 and will now look for revenge. Their second encounter of the campaign takes place on Sunday, May 17th at 7 PM at Gangneung High1 Arena.

Player of the Round

FC Seoul’s new match-winner Ruiz

FC Seoul (first, 29 points) defeated Gwangju 1-0 in Round 14 thanks to a winning goal from Leonardo Ruiz. After recording one draw and two losses across their previous three matches, the victory allowed Seoul to regain momentum.

The capital club controlled the match against Gwangju throughout, finishing with 60% possession and 16 shots while allowing the opposition just one attempt. Despite creating numerous chances, they struggled to find a breakthrough until Ruiz scored the decisive goal in the 49th minute.

Colombian striker Ruiz joined Seoul from Seongnam ahead of this season and initially endured a difficult adjustment period in K League 1. However, he scored his first goal for the club against Ulsan in the rescheduled Round 2 fixture, providing a turning point in confidence. After another quiet spell in front of goal, Ruiz has now scored in consecutive matches against Jeju SK in Round 13 and Gwangju FC in Round 14, signalling a return to form. Beyond his finishing, his movement and link-up play have also begun to stand out more consistently.

Seoul face Daejeon Hana Citizen in Round 15. Seoul suffered their first defeat of the season when they faced Daejeon in the first meeting between the two sides earlier this year. Their second encounter of the campaign takes place on Saturday, May 16th at 4:30 PM at Daejeon World Cup Stadium.

2026 K League 1 Round 15 Fixtures

Saturday 16th May

Daejeon Hana Citizen vs. FC Seoul - 16:30 [ENG]Incheon United vs. Gwangju FC - 19:00 [ENG]

Sunday 17th May

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors vs. Gimcheon Sangmu - 16:40 [ENG]Jeju SK vs. FC Anyang - 16:30Gangwon FC vs. Ulsan HD - 19:00 Bucheon FC 1995 vs. Pohang Steelers - 19:00 [ENG]