Overview

• On June 19, 2025, the K League’s board approved ending its 26-year ban on foreign goalkeepers, effective for the 2026 season.
• The prohibition was first imposed in 1999 to safeguard limited domestic keeper slots when the league had only 10 professional clubs.
• The current expansion to 26 teams across K League1 and K League2 underpins officials’ belief in sufficient playing opportunities for both Korean and international custodians.
• League leaders cited past restrictions for driving disproportionate salary growth among domestic goalkeepers compared with outfield players.
• The policy change brings South Korea’s top competition in line with goalkeeper regulations in Japan, Saudi Arabia, and China.