A 26-year ban on international goalkeepers in South Korea’s prime flight has been lifted for the beginning of the 2026 season.
Solely Korean goalkeepers have been allowed to play within the Ok League — the oldest skilled home league in Asia — since 1999. The rule was launched in a bid to guard homegrown expertise when there have been solely 10 skilled golf equipment.
The Ok League introduced after a board assembly in Seoul this week that as a result of there’s now 26 skilled golf equipment within the prime two tiers of competitors, there’s sufficient room for worldwide goalkeepers.
“The rise within the variety of golf equipment signifies that there are sufficient alternatives for home goalkeepers to play even when international goalkeepers are allowed,” the board mentioned in a press release.
“We thought-about the truth that with international participant registrations restricted, the wage improve price of home goalkeepers has elevated disproportionately to outfield gamers.”
There have been reportedly considerations, as a result of elevated dimension of contemporary rosters which include three or 4 goalkeepers, that there is a scarcity of high quality keepers within the nation.
The transfer will put the Ok League in step with different main Asian leagues in Japan, Saudi Arabia and China.