U-22 prospects who have disappeared from '15 minutes of tinkering' protection will survive only with 'real skills' [K League's Dae-hyuk ③]

*This content was translated by AI.

The 2026 professional soccer K-League will kick off on the 28th. It is a season in which three teams (Yongin, Paju, and Gimhae) join the K League 2 and 29 teams (12 K-League teams and 17 K-League teams) participate, the most ever. As much as the number of participating teams has increased, the K-League is expected to be more exciting this season as changes in various systems have been predicted. Star News introduces the prospects and effects of this year's different K-League systems, including the reform of the platform system, foreign player system, and the abolition of the under-22 (U-22) system, in a series to mark the Lunar New Year. /Editor's note

The system, which was fiercely opposed between the justification of "discovery of promising stocks" and the practicality of "declining performance," has virtually disappeared. As the mandatory K-League under-22 (U-22) participation system has been greatly eased, the overall management of the K-League's games is expected to change significantly this year.

In October last year, the Korea Professional Football Federation voted through a board meeting to ease the mandatory U-22 participation, which will be applied from the 2026 season. Due to the reorganization of the federation's system, starting in the 2026 season, K League 1 will be able to replace five players regardless of whether they use U-22 players or not.

The key is to break the link between the number of replacements and the U-22 players. Previously, five replacement cards could be fully utilized only when two or more U-22 players played (one starter and one replacement). However, starting in the new season, K League 1 teams can replace five players regardless of whether they play under the U-22 or not.

However, it has left a minimum device that requires at least two U-22 players on the roster. If U-22 players are not included, only much weaker penalties will be given than before the number of entries decreases.

The reorganization is interpreted as a measure focused on improving the quality of the league in conjunction with the abolition of the limit on foreign player ownership. In an environment where the number of foreign players is increasing, the will is to prevent reverse discrimination among players over the age of 22 and secure marketability suitable for the top league.

Until now, U-22 resources have been the club's biggest concern for a long time. In fact, when recruiting prospects who fall into the range, the weight was so great that he publicly expressed, "Our club has eased concerns about U-22 resources by recruiting Lee."

Due to the sudden change in the system, the field also took swift measures. An official said, "I know that some clubs have already recruited and organized players in accordance with the regulations," adding, "There is a possibility that the growth of players may be slow as the 22-year-old rule is removed." There may come a situation where more players will have to leave the loan to gain experience than before. If it's a really good player, the coaches will use it, but many clubs will not be in the same position," he pointed out.

In the past, Lee Seung-woo (Jeonbuk Hyundai, Suwon FC at the time) also said through personal social network service (SNS), "Which country has such a rule. Then, why are there no rules for participation over the age of 35?" he strongly criticized. In particular, the so-called "15-minute tinkering" appointment, which was taken out less than 15 minutes after starting a young player to secure a replacement card, has been considered a deformed scene unique to the K League.

On the other hand, some analysts say that the strengthening of the U-22 rule has served as a new opportunity for college football. While high school prospects have been accelerated to go straight to the professional profession due to the semi-professional system, hope has begun to show even to players who are improving their skills in college.

An official familiar with college football said, "In the past, 3rd and 4th graders were quick to choose, thinking about joining the military after the age of U-22, but now it seems that the time to learn has been long by watching the cases where fourth-year players join the professional team," adding, "If we learn one or two more years in college, our soccer skills will definitely improve, so we expect that even the fourth graders will have enough opportunities now."

Another official familiar with youth and professional circumstances also said, "All systems have advantages and disadvantages. However, it is questionable whether the U-22 system implemented in the professional league has actually helped the players. Except for a few players, most of them played only 15 to 20 minutes and were replaced. "What will this limited playing time mean for growth?" he pointed out.

In addition, "The reality is that even talented resources who have been to the U-20 World Cup cannot secure time to play except for some when they return to their teams," he said. "The first division is a stage where the best players play." Creating a separate under-22 league will not be easy due to administrative costs. With institutional protections gone, the biggest concern is how young friends will maintain their sense of practice and grow in the future, he added.

Of course, the net function of the system cannot be ignored. Clubs with a well-equipped youth system actively utilized the system to discover large prospects who entered the European stage early, including Oh Hyun-kyu (currently Besikta City), Park Seung-soo (former Suwon Samsung and Newcastle United), Yang Min-hyuk (Coventry City), Yang Hyun-joon (Celtic, former Gangwon FC), and Yoon Do-young (former Daejeon Hana Citizen, current Excelsior). It is a clear achievement that the competitiveness of the national team by age has been strengthened as young players have entered the professional league earlier.

Eventually, it is expected to transform into a complete competition system in which only real prospects armed with skills survive from the 2026 season. Attention is focusing on whether the K-League will be able to catch both rabbits of fostering prospects and strengthening league competitiveness at a time when the protection of the system has disappeared.

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*This content was translated by AI.