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South Korea soccer players push for a K League season shift as heat punishes summer matches
The players’ union said 86.2% of surveyed players felt burdened by the heat and urged a winter break to protect safety and competitiveness.
- South Korea's Pro Footballers Association is urging the K League to switch to a Fall-Spring schedule to protect players from record summer heat. The KPFA said the transition is necessary to "maintain the league's leadership within Asia and its global competitiveness."
- A recent survey of 536 players from South Korea's professional leagues found 86.2% report heatwaves create significant physical burden. Common symptoms during matches include dizziness at 64.7% and dehydration at 56.6%, as temperatures hit record highs in August.
- KPFA President Lee Keun-ho suggested a schedule change could include a winter pause, though South Korea's severe winter remains an obstacle. He added stadiums need more heating devices and hybrid grass to support the transition.
- Changing the timetable would align Asia's oldest professional soccer league with Europe, Japan's J. League, and the Asian Football Confederation's Champions League Elite, which adopted the fall-to-spring schedule in 2023.
- Current cooling policies are deemed insufficient, with only 15.3% of players surveyed believing they adequately protect athletes. The 2026 K League season began Feb. 28 and is scheduled to finish Dec. 6 amid ongoing structural reform discussions.
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Associated Press News+15 Reposted by 15 other sources
South Korea soccer players push for a K League season shift as heat punishes summer matches
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s Pro Footballers Association is calling on the K League to overhaul the domestic soccer season to avoid playing during the height of summer, as local temperatures reached record highs in August.
·New York, United States
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Total News Sources19
Leaning Left10Leaning Right2Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution53% Left
Bias Distribution
- 53% of the sources lean Left
53% Left
L 53%
C 37%
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