Next Play, a career design program for retired soccer players, begins full-fledged operation

Oct 27, 2025

Next Play, a career design program for retired soccer players, begins full-fledged operation
Lucky Conference/ K-League assist - NEXT Play opening ceremony/ Participant group/ Photo by Kim Kyung-tae



Next Play, a career design program for retired soccer players, begins full-fledged operation
Lucky Conference/ K-League assist - NEXT PLAY opening ceremony/ QMIT CEO Lee Sang-ki/ My NEXT PLAY: From a K-League player to a startup representative/ Photo by Kim Kyung-tae
K League Association held the opening ceremony of the educational program Next Play' to support the career design of retired and prospective soccer players on the 25th and began full-scale operation.

Next Play' is part of the 'Care Project' launched last year to support current and former soccer players and is designed to help players overcome anxiety about life after retirement and prepare for a second life. It aims to support player retirement to lead to a new connection rather than a career break, and to establish a systematic career support system.

K League Association recruited students from the 2nd to the 20th and selected a total of 26 retired and expected players. Starting with the opening ceremony on the 25th, students will receive career design training for six weeks until December 6.




Starting with the welcoming speech by K-League Association Chairman Kwak Young-jin, the students' self-introduction time continued. Afterwards, QMIT CEO Lee Sang-ki's lectures on 'From K-League Players to Startup Representatives' were held, Sports Job Alio CEO Kim Sun-hong's 'Understanding the Sports Industry' and 'Understanding Temperament and Recovery' by instructors assigned to the Korea Psychological Center were held.

After that, students will take the education they choose among three courses: sports agent (CEO Lee Wan's mentor), start-up (CEO Kwon Jung-hyuk's mentor), and study (CEO Lee Sang-woo's mentor).

Mentors from the K League and experts from each field who have succeeded in career transformation after retirement will participate in each course to provide practical and practical advice.




After completing the training, excellent students will be given a month's internship opportunity at 'LW Sports Agency', 'German Football to Football Sports Agency', 'QMIT', 'H Intelligence' to gain hands-on experience.

Park Ho-in, a former college football player who applied for entrepreneurship training, said "After retirement, I am considering various career paths, and I expect this education to be of great help in setting new goals. I want to build a network with students through Next Play and listen to and learn many things.," he said.

Meanwhile, K League Assist is establishing a support system that encompasses the entire life cycle of the player, running a youth mentoring program 'Dream Assist', a youth injury prevention program 'Medical Assistance', and a free legal advice service for current and former players.




K League Association plans to continue to promote various support projects for the life and career of soccer players.



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.