South Korea soccer players push for a K League season shift as heat punishes summer matches
South Korea’s Pro Footballers Association is calling on the K League to overhaul the domestic soccer season to avoid playing during the height of summer, as local temperatures reached record highs in August. “The K League must transition to the Fall-Spring schedule to protect players from the worsening climate crisis and punishing summer heat,” the KPFA said in a statement this week, “and to…
South Korea's Pro Footballers Association is urging the K League to adjust its summer soccer season due to record-breaking temperatures. KPFA president Lee Keun-ho believes a transition to a Fall-Spring schedule would protect players from worsening climate conditions and improve the league's global competitiveness. The extreme heat, which saw temperatures as high as 42.5 degrees Celsius (108.5 Fahrenheit) in Yangsan, also affected the Manchester City exhibition game, though the Premier League club's match drew a full house.
The 2026 K League season, which started on February 28 and was set to end on December 6, has prompted calls for a change in the traditional schedule. Players are concerned about injuries and physical strain during the hot summer months, with nearly half of the surveyed 536 players stating current cooling breaks are insufficient to protect them.
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Also reported by 3 other outlets
- 'Begin discussions': South Korea's Lee Jae Myung calls for talks with North Korea timesofindia.indiatimes.com
- South Korea players want K League season change due to ‘worsening climate’ aljazeera.com
- South Korea soccer players push for a K League season shift as heat punishes summer matches winnipegfreepress.com
