The era of 1,000 registered players is coming, and K-League 'Quality Decline' is inevitable...Is there a breakthrough
The era of 1,000 registered players is coming, and K-League 'Quality Decline' is inevitable...Is there a breakthrough
Blog Article
Is the K-League agonizing over "qualitative decline".
According to the data released by the Korea Professional Football Federation on Monday, the total number of registered players in 26 teams in the K League 1 and 2 divisions in the 2025 season amounts to 990. They are 483 in the K League and 507 in the K League 2. The number of Korean players is 883 and 107 in foreign countries.
Compared to 2016, nine years ago, the increase was noticeable. At that time, the number of registered players was 759 in 23 teams in the first and second divisions. The number increased by 231 in nine years. As the number of teams increased in the K-League, the number of registered players also increased. If Yongin, which declared its foundation, joins the team, it is expected to open an era of 1,000 registered players in 2026.
However, considering the "quality" of K League 1, there is something worrisome. The increase in the number of registered players means that the probability of entering a professional team has increased. This means that players who were difficult to win professional titles in the past can join a professional team.
In addition, with the promotion system in place, second division teams are actively spending money to recruit "first division" players. Players who match the first division sometimes go to the second division to play. As a result, some first division teams have even second division players.
There is also a positive side. It is an increase in the competitiveness of the second division. Interest in the promotion fight increases as the first part of the natural corporate team falls into the second part one after another.
On the other hand, it is getting more and more difficult to make the first part of the K-League. Compared to the past, the proportion of foreign players, especially European players, is increasing. Prospects who have displayed competitive edge in the K-League will move to Europe within one to two years. This is a factor that causes deterioration of quality along with absence of star players. If they play in the K-League 1, they will strengthen their team's strength and lead the overall success of the league, but they cannot afford to blindly hold onto them. The trend is becoming more difficult to differentiate between the first and second parts.
In recent years, semi-professional high school players have often been active in the K-League. It is welcome to see a series of promising players appearing, but this shows that the standard of the K-League has declined. "It is true that young players have seen their physical and skill growth faster than in the past, but it also means that the gap and barriers between their skills have decreased," said a youth leader of the K-League. 메이저놀이터
This is evident from the declining competitiveness of the K-League 1 in the AFC Champions League. Jeonbuk Hyundai was eliminated from the quarterfinals in the ACL 2, while the K-League 1 champion Ulsan HD and the traditional powerhouse Pohang Steelers were eliminated early in the ACL Elite League stage. Only Gwangju FC, where head coach Lee Jung-hyo's capabilities shone, made it to the quarterfinals. The K-League team's poor performance in Asia is nothing new.
Farming for foreigners is not a big success. In the past, many foreigners left their country by paying huge transfer fees to China and the Middle East, but the number has significantly decreased over the past few years. A breakthrough must be made through foreign players whose quota has been increased, but the reality is that the K-League is still recruiting players with a feeling of scratching the lottery ticket.