South Korean Footballers Demand Urgent Heat Safety Protections After Alarmingly High Illness Rates

The South Korea FA has already faced pressure to move the fixtures away from summer months.

South Korean professional footballers have urged stronger protections against extreme heat following a survey by the Korea Pro-Footballers Association (KPFA) which revealed that many players suffered from dehydration, dizziness, and temporary lapses in consciousness during competition.

The survey of 536 players from South Korea’s K League and WK League, conducted during a summer when pitch temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), found that 86.2% of respondents experienced significant physical strain while playing in the heat.

Nearly two-thirds, or 64.7%, complained of dizziness during matches or training, while 56.6% suffered from severe dehydration and 13% experienced lapses in consciousness.

“The fact that over 70 players experienced dizziness, dehydration, and even temporary loss of consciousness is a glaring red flag,” KPFA President Lee Keun-ho, a former national team player, stated.

The union called on the Korea Football Association (KFA), K League, and WK League to introduce mandatory heat protocols, arguing that current safeguards fail to sufficiently protect players.

In response, the KFA told the Reuters news agency that player health and safety remained its “absolute top priority” and acknowledged the concerns raised by the players' union.

The governing body noted it was taking steps to reduce heat-related risks by adjusting match schedules and enforcing cooling-break protocols during games, while also acknowledging logistical challenges.

“While we face certain practical constraints, including stadium availability and tight scheduling limitations, KFA is continuously monitoring conditions to make every possible effort to prevent any heat-related incidents,” South Korea’s governing body announced in a statement on Friday.

Almost half of the respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the current cooling-break system, which typically grants players a break of just over three minutes once temperatures reach a specified threshold.

Nearly 90% of players supported modifying existing match operations during extreme heat, with more than half favoring later kickoff times, while others backed postponing or canceling matches under heat advisories.

The union highlighted that women players frequently face additional challenges, as numerous matches are scheduled during the hottest part of the day on artificial surfaces and at venues lacking adequate air-conditioned changing facilities.

“Playing under the scorching sun on artificial turf that traps and radiates heat is essentially forcing athletes into a furnace,” KPFA Women’s President Ji So-yun stated.

“Just as professional baseball proactively cancels games for the heat, football needs to stop mechanically following a rigid schedule and actually prioritise player health and safety.”

Furthermore, the KPFA stated that the survey findings should prompt a broader discussion regarding South Korea’s football calendar, noting that many players support transitioning to an autumn-spring schedule.