Latest news with #KLeague2
Malay Mail
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Malay Mail
South Korea's K-League ends decades-long ban on foreign goalkeepers
SEOUL, June 21 — K-League clubs will be allowed to register foreign players as goalkeepers for the first time in 27 years, starting with the 2026 season, the South Korean top division league said. The league banned its clubs from registering foreign players as keepers in 1999, when it had eight teams, in a bid to ensure domestic keepers get enough playing time. The K-League 1 now has 12 teams, with a second tier introduced in 2013. The decision to end the ban on foreign keepers was taken at a board meeting on Thursday, the league said in a statement yesterday. 'The board said it took into consideration the fact that foreign players were restricted from registering as goalkeepers, a specialised position, resulting in excessive salary increases for domestic players compared to field players,' it added. 'The number of clubs has increased significantly since the time the foreign goalkeeper restriction was introduced, so even if foreign goalkeepers were allowed, domestic goalkeepers would still have enough playing time. 'As a result, from 2026, the K-League will remove the stipulation that the goalkeeper must be a domestic player from the K-League's competition guidelines, which will apply to both the K-League 1 and K-League 2.' — Reuters
Reuters
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
South Korea's K-League to lift 26-year-old ban on foreign goalkeepers
June 21 (Reuters) - K-League clubs will be allowed to register foreign players as goalkeepers for the first time in 27 years, starting with the 2026 season, the South Korean top division league said. The league banned its clubs from registering foreign players as keepers in 1999, when it had eight teams, in a bid to ensure domestic keepers get enough playing time. The K-League 1 now has 12 teams, with a second tier introduced in 2013. The decision to end the ban on foreign keepers was taken at a board meeting on Thursday, the league said in a statement on Friday. "The board said it took into consideration the fact that foreign players were restricted from registering as goalkeepers, a specialised position, resulting in excessive salary increases for domestic players compared to field players," it added. "The number of clubs has increased significantly since the time the foreign goalkeeper restriction was introduced, so even if foreign goalkeepers were allowed, domestic goalkeepers would still have enough playing time. "As a result, from 2026, the K-League will remove the stipulation that the goalkeeper must be a domestic player from the K-League's competition guidelines, which will apply to both the K-League 1 and K-League 2."
Korea Herald
19-03-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Anyang to enhance quality of life with innovation, entertainment
The city of Anyang, located in the heart of Gyeonggi Province, plans to make a name for itself as one of the most livable cities in South Korea with innovative developments and new cultural activities. Recognized for its outstanding performance in administrative innovation since 2017, Anyang ranked No. 1 in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's annual innovation assessment of 75 local governments for two consecutive years in 2023 and 2024, earning the designation of "self-sufficient city." The city was particularly noted for its urban design changes in residential areas -- implemented to prevent late-night crime -- and its AI-based safety services for senior citizens, which help emergency workers save lives in the crucial first hour of a medical emergency. But Anyang Mayor Choi Dae-ho believes there are more areas where administrative efficiency can make citizens truly happy and enable them to enjoy a high quality of life. The following is an in-depth look at some of the changes underway for Anyang in terms of urban space and culture. The Bakdal Smart City project is one of two key development projects that have been ongoing in the city. The city government is set to relocate underground the existing military ammunition facilities in Manan-gu and renovate an area of about 3.28 million square meters into an integrated zone to attract "fourth industrial revolution"-themed global corporations and nurture local talent for new industries. The Indeogwon Compact City is another plan to develop a densely populated urban area that integrates industry, housing and culture into a single space, allowing for convenient access to a wide range of facilities. According to the city government, this future-oriented complex has the potential to become a new city landmark due to its strategic location and easy access to four subway lines: the existing Seoul Subway Line No. 4; the GTX-C line, which links Yangju (north of Seoul) to Suwon (south of Seoul); the Wolpan Line, which connects Pangyo (east of Seoul) to Siheung (west of Seoul); and the Dongtan-Indeogwon Line. The latter three are currently under construction. Though the two city projects are expected to be completed in the late 2020s, the city government believes the transformation will create jobs, including for young workers, revitalize the local economy, secure a new growth engine and promote Anyang as a place filled with creative ideas. Meanwhile, some of the city's changes that can be felt this year relate to cultural life, such as local sports events and access to lesser-known natural areas. After securing the top spot in K League 2 in 2024, FC Anyang has been promoted to the top-tier football league here -- K League 1 -- for the first time in club history. Founded in 2013, the team had not won a K League 2 title until last year. Aside from the team's social media popularity, an FC Anyang-themed documentary film caught many sports fans' attention by revealing the unique stories of Anyang-based fans who suddenly lost their team when Anyang LG Cheetahs moved to Seoul in 2004, changing its name to FC Seoul. The team is set to entertain its supporters with 17 home games at Anyang Stadium in Dongan-gu, eastern Anyang, through October. Seoul Nat'l Univ. Gwanak Arboretum The city government plans to unveil hidden areas of the Seoul National University Gwanak Arboretum to the public for the first time in 58 years. The arboretum, created in 1967, stretches from Seoul's Gwanak-gu into Anyang and Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province. It has been secluded from the public eye since then. According to the city government, visitors will be able to explore a 900,000-square-meter area of the arboretum. Though the exact date for its official opening has yet to be announced, the city government expects to welcome nature lovers from across the country as early as this spring. It will also rename the arboretum the "Seoul National University Anyang Arboretum" to better reflect that the entrance for visitors is located not in Gwanak-gu but in Anyang.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 K League 2 Season Preview
The K League United Podcast finally turns its attentions to the second tier this week as K League 2 gets underway on Saturday. Matthew Binns and Andrew Farrell are on the podcast this week, looking over the state of K League 2 ahead of the 2025 campaign. They wont' be alone though, as our writers join them to give their views on teams in a division that is bigger than ever!Mike Brandon, Michael Redmond, Diogo Valente, Luke Evans and Paul Neat all make appearances to help cover the expanded team list. After all that, there's time to discuss title predictions as well as who else we think may scrape a promotion before then continuing the conversation over onPatreon to go through the K League 1 action at the weekend. There's also the announcement of our latest kit giveaway. In celebration of 10 years of K League United, we look to give away a match-worn home shirt fromour website's first interviewee, FC Anyang's Austin Berry. To stand a chance of winning this 2015 Anyang kit, simply follow us and reshare the related social media post of this podcast, or share this page with @KLeagueUnited tagged, for your chance to enter the draw with the prize set to be drawn in March.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 Season Preview: Gimcheon Sangmu FC
With the off-the-field issues regarding the future of Sangmu FC's home base being resolved on Monday—following the news that they will be staying in Gimcheon for the next two seasons—the team can now focus on their on-the-pitch performance. They will be looking for more of the same as they head into a second consecutive season in K League 1, following their impressive third-place finish last year. K League United's Stuart Warren previews the season ahead. 18W-9D-11L, 3rd After securing promotion in 2023 by winning the K League 2 title—finishing just one point ahead of runners-up Busan IPark—many expected Gimcheon to struggle at the wrong end of the table last season. This was especially true given their reputation as a "yo-yo club," having bounced between the top two divisions over the past four seasons. However, they defied expectations with a highly impressive season, mounting an unexpected title challenge before eventually fading and finishing in third place. The season started perfectly for the military side, as they snatched a hard-fought 1-0 win away at Daegu FC in their opening game. They then embarked on an impressive run, losing just two of their first 15 matches and propelling themselves to the top of the table. While many doubted their staying power, Gimcheon continued to grind out results. For a long stretch, they even looked like potential title contenders. However, they eventually lost momentum and finished in a highly creditable third place behind champions Ulsan HD and another surprise package, Gangwon FC. A solid defense was the foundation of their success, as they led the league in clean sheets, finishing with 17 over the course of the season. In attack, Lee Dong-gyeong enjoyed a strong start to his Gimcheon career, netting five goals in just over half a season after joining from Ulsan HD in April. He was supported by winger Kim Dae-won, who also scored five goals and contributed eight assists. With the new intake of players completing their military service not arriving until April 7—three weeks into the season—there is some frustration that they won't be able to link up with the squad sooner. Nevertheless, the list of incoming players is reported to be: Go Jae-hyun (Daegu FC)Kim Yi-seok (Gangwon FC)Kim Joo-chan (Suwon Samsung Bluewings)Kim Tae-hwan (Jeju United)Moon Hyun-ho (Ulsan HD)Park Se-jin (Daegu FC)Park Cheol-woo (Suwon FC)Park Tae-jun (Gwangju FC)Baek Jong-beom (FC Seoul)Lee Su-bin (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)Lee Jeong-taek (Daejeon Hana Citizen)Lee Chan-wook (Gyeongnam FC)Jeon Byung-kwan (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) At this stage, it is difficult to predict which players will have the biggest impact, given the large intake joining an already established squad. However, one player to watch is winger Jeon the end of the 2023 season, Jeon was highly sought-after, with FC Seoul and Pohang Steelers among his suitors. In the end, he opted to leave Daejeon Hana Citizen to join Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Last season, he scored five goals and registered two assists—numbers he will be eager to improve upon in the upcoming campaign. One of Gimcheon's standout performers last season was midfielder Lee Dong-gyeong, who notched five goals in 19 appearances. He is expected to be a key attacking threat again this year. However, his military service ends in October, meaning he will return to Ulsan HD on October 26. Among the incoming players, one who could be crucial to Gimcheon's success is Daegu FC attacker Go Jae-hyun. He enjoyed prolific 2022 and 2023 seasons, scoring a combined 23 goals. However, he struggled in 2024, finishing with just two goals. Many believe that a change of scenery could help him rediscover his form. If he does, he will be a key part of Gimcheon's attack this season. One young player aiming to make a bigger impact this season is midfielder Lee Seung-won. After winning the Bronze Ball at the 2023 U-20 World Cup, expectations were high for the Gangwon FC prospect. However, his club career has started more slowly than his international one. A central midfielder with excellent passing range, Lee joined Gimcheon in April last year and made eight league appearances, scoring his first senior goal in September. Turning 22 in March, he still has plenty of time to develop, and many expect him to make a bigger impact in 2025. The biggest question facing Gimcheon this season is whether they can replicate last year's success. Predicting their performance is always challenging, as it largely depends on how well the new intake integrates into the squad. However, their fanbase will hope that the team can carry last season's momentum forward.
