South Korea lifts 26-year ban on foreign goalkeepers in the K League

South Korea’s top professional football league is ending its 26-year ban on foreign goalkeepers starting with the 2026 season.

Since 1999, only Korean goalkeepers have been allowed to play in the K League, Asia’s oldest professional domestic league. This rule was introduced to protect local talent when the league had just 10 professional clubs.

However, following a board meeting in Seoul this week, the K League announced that with 26 professional clubs now competing across the top two divisions, there is sufficient opportunity for foreign goalkeepers to participate.

“The growth in the number of clubs ensures that domestic goalkeepers will still have ample playing time even with the inclusion of foreign goalkeepers,” the board said in a statement.

They also noted concerns that domestic goalkeepers’ salaries have risen disproportionately compared to outfield players, partly due to restrictions on foreign player registrations.

Additionally, with modern squads often including three or four goalkeepers, there have been worries about a shortage of high-quality keepers within the country.

This decision brings the K League in line with other leading Asian leagues such as those in Japan, Saudi Arabia, and China.