SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A 26-year ban on foreign goalkeepers in South Korea’s top soccer league has been lifted for the start of the 2026 season.
Only Korean goalkeepers have been allowed to play in the K League, the oldest professional domestic league in Asia, since 1999. The rule was introduced in a bid to protect homegrown talent when there were only 10 professional clubs.
The K League announced after a board meeting in Seoul this week that because there’s now 26 professional clubs in the top two tiers of competition, there’s enough room for international goalkeepers.
“The increase in the number of clubs means that there are enough opportunities for domestic goalkeepers to play even if foreign goalkeepers are allowed,” the board said in a statement. “We considered the fact that with foreign player registrations restricted, the salary increase rate of domestic goalkeepers has increased disproportionately to outfield players.”
There were reportedly concerns, due to the increased size of modern rosters which contain three or four goalkeepers, that there's a shortage of quality keepers in the country.
The move will put the K League in line with other major Asian leagues in Japan, Saudi Arabia and China.
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Ulsan HD's Jo Hyeon-woo blocks a shot during the Club World Cup group F soccer match between Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns in Orlando, Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
DENVER (AP) — Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points, Aaron Gordon had 23 and the injury-ravaged Denver Nuggets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 108-104 on Sunday night.
Peyton Watson had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Nuggets. Over his team’s past seven games, the fourth-year guard has been averaging 23.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Zeke Nnaji added 14 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.
Denver was without five of its top eight scorers, including Nikola Jokic (bone bruise in left knee) and Jamal Murray (sprained left ankle). The five sidelined players are averaging a combined 84.6 points per game this season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Bucks. Myles Turner scored 16 points while Bobby Portis and AJ Green added 14 apiece. Ryan Rollins was held to two points, snapping a career-best streak of 37 consecutive games with at least 10 points.
Denver had lost five of eight after a 22-8 start, including a 3-4 mark since Jokic, the three-time NBA MVP, went down in a Dec. 29 loss at the Miami Heat.
The Bucks trailed by 15 in the first half and by 11 entering the fourth quarter before trimming their deficit to 105-102, but missed two game-tying 3-point attempts from Rollins and Green in the final 20 seconds. Gordon, the lone regular starter available for the Nuggets, made three free throws in the final 9 seconds to seal the victory.
Entering the night, Milwaukee had been 5-2 in its past seven games after starting the season 12-19.
Nuggets: At New Orleans on Tuesday night.
Bucks: Host Minnesota on Tuesday night.
AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/nba
Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr., right, passes the ball as Denver Nuggets center Zeke Nnaji defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo looks for direction from the bench in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson, front, fields a pass as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr., right, tries to steal the ball form Denver Nuggets forward Hunter Tyson in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, left, looks to pass the ball as Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
