'Boiling Ground' K League Postpones Weekend Matches by 30 Minutes Due to Heatwave... 13 Games Kick Off at 8 PM

*This content was translated by AI.

Amidst consecutive days of extreme heat, professional soccer's K League will delay weekend match start times by 30 minutes.

The Korea Professional Football League announced on the 5th that to ensure the safety of players, spectators, and on-site personnel, all matches for Round 22 of K League 1 and Round 21 of K League 2 scheduled for the 7th and 8th will have their start times changed from the previous 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM. This proactive safety measure comes after recent professional baseball games were canceled due to heatwaves.

Accordingly, the five K League 1 Round 22 matches held on the 8th (Anyang-Daejeon, Bucheon-Gwangju, Gimcheon-Seoul, Jeonbuk-Jeju, Pohang-Ulsan) will all kick off at 8:00 PM. The eight K League 2 Round 21 matches will also be played at 8:00 PM over the two days.

Along with this kickoff time delay, 'cooling breaks' to prepare for heatwaves are expected to be actively implemented at each stadium. According to K League regulations, if the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which considers temperature and humidity, exceeds a certain threshold, referees may allow players to rest and hydrate for three minutes each in the first and second halves at their discretion.

Especially since this is part of the August heatwave schedule where serious ranking competition unfolds, it is expected that roster rotation and condition management to prevent player fatigue despite playing at night under high humidity and tropical nights will emerge as key variables determining the outcome of matches.

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*This content was translated by AI.