[Official] KBO 'Adding 1 New Team' Announces 2026 Futures League Game Schedule 'Fanfare on March 20 at 6 Stadiums'

*This content was translated by AI.

The 2026 KBO Futures League will open on March 20.

KBO said on the 14th, "The opening game will be held at a total of six stadiums in Icheon (Doosan-LG), Seosan (Koyang-Hanwha), Mungyeong (SSG-Sangmu), Iksan (Samsung-KT), Masan (KIA-NC), and Ulsan (Lotte-Ulsan)."

The 2026 KBO Futures League has a change in league composition. The newly founded Ulsan Wales was incorporated into the Southern League, and the Sangmu Baseball Team, which belonged to the Southern League, moved to the Northern League.

Accordingly, the Northern League will consist of six teams each: Sangmu, Hanwha, LG, SSG, Doosan, Goyang, and Southern League, KT, NC, Lotte, Samsung, KIA, and Ulsan. The Northern and Southern leagues will play 121 games per team, with a total of 726 games until September 20.

The way the interleague operates will also be changed. Previously, the southern league team, excluding Sangmu, was organized into Game 6 (three home and away games each), Sangmu was organized into Game 8 (five home games and three away games), and the northern league team was organized into Game 8 (three home games and five away games). Starting this year, as Ulsan participates, all teams will play a total of 36 games, including 6 games (3 home and away games each).

In addition, games will be scheduled on Monday starting this season. Organize the entire game on Monday and run Tuesday as a fixed day off.

The opening time of the Futures League game is 1 p.m. However, weekday games (except holidays) in Masan will start at 6:30 p.m. on Mondays, and Ulsan Stadium will start games excluding weekends and holidays at 6:30 p.m.

From July 15 to August 24, it is the summer league period, and all games will be held at 6 p.m. to protect players in the hot weather and improve their performance. If the game is canceled due to rain or other reasons, it will be organized as a doubleheader the next day only from April to May. The game will be played in seven innings in both the first and second games. In addition, from this year, the number of entries will be increased by two to register up to 28 people when the doubleheader is held.

The way the game is operated will also be changed. If the game is tied after the end of the ninth inning, it will be limited to 12 times from the 10th inning until the game is played, and after that, it will be treated as a draw.

Meanwhile, starting this season, check swing video reading will not be conducted in the Futures League.

In addition, the Futures League championship match will be held in the same way this season. The top two teams in each league of the Futures League regular season advance to the semi-finals, with a single-round match between the winners of the semi-finals to determine the final winners.

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*This content was translated by AI.