Volleyball governing body opens women's league to overseas Koreans, lowers individual salary cap

The V League Women’s Division of the Korean women’s volleyball league will open its rookie draft to overseas Koreans starting in the 2026–27 season. The league will also lower the individual salary cap to prevent salary concentration.

Players nominated by each club at the 2025-2026 Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) Women's Rookie Draft pose for a commemorative photo at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo District, western Seoul on Sept. 5. [NEWS1]

The V League Women’s Division of the Korean women’s volleyball league will open its rookie draft to overseas Koreans starting in the 2026–27 season.

The league will also lower the individual salary cap — exclusively for the women’s division — to prevent salary concentration. These decisions were made at a board meeting and extraordinary general meeting held by the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) on Wednesday.

Opening the draft to players of foreign nationality with Korean heritage is aimed at expanding the player pool and boosting the league’s popularity. Eligible players must have at least one parent who either currently holds or previously held Korean nationality.

These players will be treated the same as domestic players. However, to retain their eligibility in the V League, they must acquire Korean nationality within six years of their debut. Each club may recruit one such player per season and hold up to two on its roster.

KOVO will maintain the current total club salary cap — 2.1 billion won ($1.43 million) in base salary, 600 million won in performance bonuses, and 300 million won in win bonuses — but will reduce the individual cap in the women’s division to prevent concentration of high salaries among a few players.

The cap will be lowered from 825 million won with 525 million won in base salary plus 300 million won in options to 540 million won with 420 million won in base salary plus 120 million won in options. Existing contracts will remain unchanged.

For Asian quarter players, who will be converted to free agents starting in the 2026–27 season, the annual salary caps will be set at $120,000 for men in their first year and $150,000 in their second year, and $150,000 for women in their first year and $170,000 in their second year.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY CHANG HYE-SOO [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]