South Korea has lifted a 26-year ban on foreign goalkeepers in its top-tier K League, effective from the start of the 2026 season.

Since 1999, only Korean goalkeepers have been permitted to play in the K League—the oldest professional domestic league in Asia—to protect homegrown talent when there were just 10 professional clubs.

Following a board meeting in Seoul this week, the K League announced that with 26 professional clubs now in the top two tiers of competition, there is sufficient room for international goalkeepers.

"The increase in the number of clubs ensures that domestic goalkeepers have ample opportunities to play even if foreign goalkeepers are allowed," the board stated.

"We also considered that restrictions on foreign player registrations have led to disproportionate salary increases for domestic goalkeepers compared to outfield players."

There were concerns that the larger modern rosters, which typically include three or four goalkeepers, might reveal a shortage of quality keepers in the country.

This decision aligns the K League with major Asian leagues in Japan, Saudi Arabia, and China.