Police Deployed for K League 'Relegation Decider'... Tension Rises in Suwon Samsung's Final Match

Bottom team relegated to Division 2... Soccer fans focused
About 30,000 at Suwon World Cup Stadium... One police company deployed

In an unusual move ahead of the final match that will determine relegation in the professional football K League 1, the police will be deployed to prevent any incidents.

The Suwon Jungbu Police Station announced on the 2nd that it will deploy one company to Suwon World Cup Stadium, where the Hana One Q K League 1 2023 Round 38 match between Suwon Samsung and Gangwon FC will take place at 2 p.m.

Currently, in K League 1, three teams?10th place Gangwon, 11th place Suwon FC, and 12th place Suwon?are battling to avoid the bottom. This match is a crucial showdown that will decide the so-called ‘direct relegation.’ Depending on the results of the three final matches held simultaneously, the team finishing last in 12th place in K League 1 will be directly relegated to the second division, K League 2.

On the 25th of last month, during the 2023 K League 1 match between FC Seoul and Suwon Samsung held at Seoul World Cup Stadium, Vasani of Suwon (center) is attempting a shot.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Suwon Samsung, currently 12th in the league, will be confirmed to go straight to K League 2 regardless of other match results if they lose. Conversely, if they win, they can escape the bottom spot on their own and compete in the promotion-relegation playoffs against the top teams of K League 2.

Since relegation is at stake, both teams are expected to face off with a do-or-die determination, attracting much attention from football fans. Especially, the home team Suwon’s fans are in a mood of total mobilization, saying “Relegation must never happen,” matching the players’ resolve. Since its founding in 1995, Suwon has been a traditional football powerhouse, winning the K League 1 title 4 times, the FA Cup 5 times, and the AFC Champions League twice, and is the most popular club with the largest fandom.

Gangwon Province is equally desperate. About 3,600 fans will travel for away support. The away supporter seats sold out online within a day of opening, showing intense interest. Kim Jin-tae, Governor of Gangwon Province, also announced he would join the away support, and up to 100 buses will be deployed for the away fans.

Up to 30,000 spectators are expected to attend this match. Suwon World Cup Stadium has opened the second-floor stands, which are usually closed. Because of this, the police plan to deploy one company (80?90 officers) throughout the stadium to manage the crowd and prepare for any possible accidents.

Gangwon FC players ahead of the match start Photo by Yonhap News

A police official said, “It is unusual to deploy police officers at a K League 1 stadium,” adding, “Since this is the last match of the season and the game involves relegation to the second division, we expect a large crowd and decided to deploy one company.”

Abroad, in June, a fan of Girondins de Bordeaux in France’s Ligue 2 caused controversy by invading the pitch during a match and assaulting an opposing player. As a result, Bordeaux was handed a forfeit loss and lost their chance for promotion to Ligue 1.

Also, in the English Premier League (EPL) last May, incidents occurred among fans of teams facing relegation. Fans of Leicester City, who were in danger of relegation, got into fistfights, while fans of Leeds United, who were confirmed relegated, showed unruly behavior by attacking police after the match ended.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.