Professional football in South Korea is set for a significant shift as the long-standing ban on foreign goalkeepers will be lifted ahead of the 2026 season, ending a restriction that has stood for nearly three decades.
The prohibition was initially introduced in 1996 to foster the development of local goalkeeping talent, with limited participation permitted before a complete ban was enforced in 1999. At the time, South Korea’s professional league featured just 10 clubs—well before the country co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup with Japan. The domestic football landscape has since expanded to include 26 professional clubs across its top two tiers.
“The registration of foreign goalkeepers will be allowed from the 2026 season,” announced the Korea Professional Football League (K League) on Friday.
“The restriction, initially implemented in 1996 and fully enforced in 1999, was designed to cultivate homegrown goalkeepers, as many clubs at the time relied heavily on imported talent for the position.”
According to a report from K League United, the league’s board discussed the matter at its annual general meeting in Seoul this week, concluding that the specialized restriction had inadvertently driven goalkeeper wages to unsustainable levels. Removing the ban is expected to ease wage inflation and improve market balance.
Notably, all three goalkeepers selected in South Korea’s most recent national squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and Kuwait play their club football in the K League. Kim Dong-heon represents Incheon United, Lee Chang-geun plays for Daejeon Hana Citizen, and Jo Hyeon-woo, who has earned 42 international caps, is currently with Ulsan HD, competing in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Veteran goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, capped 81 times for the national team, currently plays for FC Tokyo in Japan’s J.League 1 after spending three years at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Shabab, while Kim Jun-hong, who featured in South Korea’s squads in 2024, moved to D.C. United in Major League Soccer earlier this year.
The policy reversal marks a new era for Korean football, opening doors for international talent while signaling confidence in the progress of local goalkeepers over the years.