South Korea players want K League season change due to ‘worsening climate’

What the report says

South Korea’s Pro Footballers Association is urging the K League to move away from its current February-to-December calendar, saying the competition should adopt a fall-to-spring format to reduce the strain of summer heat on players. The group’s statement, reported by Al Jazeera on Friday, argued that rising temperatures and worsening climate conditions are affecting both player safety and the league’s standing in Asia.

The appeal comes after an unusually intense August heatwave. Local authorities in Yangsan recorded 42.5C on August 2, one of the highest readings in decades of official records, and the country’s baseball league was briefly suspended because of the conditions. Al Jazeera also reported that the heat affected attendance at recent football friendlies in Seoul, even as a Manchester City preseason match against Atletico Madrid drew a full crowd on Sunday.

The players’ association, led by former South Korea international Lee Keun-ho, said a revised calendar would better align the K League with Japan’s J League, the AFC Champions League Elite and most European leagues. It acknowledged, however, that South Korea’s cold winters remain a major obstacle, suggesting a seasonal break in the coldest months and stadium upgrades such as heating systems and hybrid pitches.

The association cited an emergency survey of 536 men’s and women’s professional players. It said most respondents felt the heatwave created a physical burden, with dizziness and dehydration among the most commonly reported problems. More broadly, the discussion reflects how extreme weather is increasingly influencing sports scheduling in the region.