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K League Ends Goalkeeper Ban: A New Era for South Korean Soccer | Sports-Games
- The K League board decided to lift the 26-year ban on foreign goalkeepers starting with the 2026 season in South Korea.
- The ban, in place since 1999, was originally introduced to promote domestic goalkeeper development amid smaller league size and limited teams.
- With the league now expanded to 26 clubs across two tiers and modern rosters including multiple goalkeepers, the board found enough opportunity remains for domestic players.
- The board explained that with 26 professional teams now competing, domestic goalkeepers will still have ample chances to participate despite the inclusion of foreign goalkeepers, aligning the league’s approach with other prominent Asian competitions.
- Allowing foreign goalkeepers may reduce disproportionate salary increases for domestic keepers and place South Korea's K League on par with leagues in Japan, Saudi Arabia, and China.
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30 Articles
Soccer-South Korea's K-League to lift 26-year-old ban on foreign goalkeepers
(Reuters) -K-League clubs will be allowed to register foreign players as goalkeepers for the first time in 27 years, starting with the 2026 season, the South Korean top division league said. Read full story
South Korean men's top-flight football clubs will once again be allowed to hire foreign goalkeepers, lifting a 26-year-old ban starting next season.
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…
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