US EditionK League Ends Goalkeeper Ban: A New Era for South Korean Soccer | Sports-Games
- The K League lifted its 26-year ban on foreign goalkeepers starting with the 2026 season in South Korea's top soccer league.
- The ban, established in 1999 with the aim of supporting domestic goalkeepers during a period when the league consisted of just 10 clubs, was reconsidered following a board meeting held in Seoul this week.
- The league currently features 26 professional teams across two divisions, and the larger squad sizes, which now accommodate multiple goalkeepers per team, have raised concerns about a limited pool of high-quality domestic goalkeepers.
- The K League board explained that the expansion to 26 professional teams across the top divisions provides sufficient chances for local goalkeepers to participate, even with the inclusion of foreign goalkeepers.
- Permitting foreign goalkeepers will bring the K League’s policies in line with those of leading Asian competitions such as those in Japan, Saudi Arabia, and China, while also addressing the issue of rapidly rising salaries among domestic goalkeepers.
25 Articles
25 Articles
South Korea lift bizarre little-known 26-year ban on signing foreign goalkeepers
A 26-YEAR ban on foreign goalkeepers in South Korea’s top soccer league has been lifted effective from the start of the 2026 season. Only Korean goalkeepers have been allowed to play in the K League, the oldest professional domestic league in Asia since 1999. ReutersKim Seung-gyu played in the K League before securing a move to the J League[/caption] RexJesse Lingard plays in the Korean League for FC Seoul[/caption] The rule was originally intro…
K League Ends Goalkeeper Ban: A New Era for South Korean Soccer | Sports-Games
The 26-year restriction on foreign goalkeepers in South Korea's K League is lifted for 2026. Previously enacted to protect local talent, the rule change follows the expansion of professional clubs. This aligns the K League with other Asian competitions and addresses concerns about the quality and salary of domestic keepers.
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