KBO League sets single-season attendance record with 12.36 million
In short
The 2026 KBO League has set an all-time single-season attendance record, the Korea Baseball Organization said, reaching 12,362,000 spectators over 699 games as of Oct. 5 — above the 12,312,519 of 2025. On Oct. 5, 95,922 people entered five stadiums, three of which sold out. The LG Twins separately reported a club single-season attendance record on Oct. 4.
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The 2026 KBO League has set an all-time single-season attendance record, the Korea Baseball Organization said, with 12,362,000 spectators over 699 games as of Oct. 5 — an average of 17,685 a game — surpassing the 12,312,519 recorded in the 2025 season. [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
On Oct. 5, 95,922 people entered the five stadiums hosting games, according to the KBO. Three sold out: Daegu with 24,000, Jamsil in Seoul with 23,750 and Suwon with 18,700. Changwon drew 14,575 and Daejeon 14,897, the reports said. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
The league passed 12 million spectators on Oct. 1, in 684 games, the fewest games in which it has reached that mark, reporters said. Newsis noted that the KBO League first passed 10 million spectators in 2024 and has now passed 12 million in two consecutive seasons. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
The KBO attributed the turnout to the national team's quarterfinal finish at the March 2026 World Baseball Classic — its first in 17 years — and a fifth consecutive Asian Games gold medal last month, along with young star players. For the first time, eight of the 10 clubs have drawn more than 1 million spectators, according to Newsis. [ 6 ]
The season was played despite 30 games cancelled in August because of a heat wave and the absence of national-team players called up for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. With 21 games left in the regular season, the record is expected to grow further and a record for sellouts is in sight, OSEN reported. [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
The LG Twins said on Oct. 4 that they had broken their own single-season attendance record, reporting 1,550,988 spectators through that day against 1,542,458 in 2025. Their home game against the KIA Tigers at Jamsil sold out before it began, and the club said 1.6 million was in sight. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Newsis also reported that KT clinched first place in the regular season by beating Lotte 9-0 on Oct. 5. The KBO League began in 1982 with a total of 1,438,768 spectators. [ 6 , 8 , 9 ]
Why it matters
The record was set with 21 regular-season games still to play, so the KBO said the total is expected to grow further and a record for sellouts is in sight. The league's own analysis links the turnout to international results — a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal and an Asian Games gold — and to young star players, and eight of 10 clubs have passed 1 million spectators for the first time, pointing to broader-based popularity rather than a single club's draw.
Key facts
- The KBO said cumulative 2026 season attendance reached 12,362,000 after 699 games as of Oct. 5, surpassing the 12,312,519 of 2025. [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- A total of 95,922 spectators entered the five stadiums hosting games on Oct. 5, with an average of 17,685 a game for the season. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Three of the five stadiums sold out on Oct. 5: Daegu (24,000), Jamsil in Seoul (23,750) and Suwon (18,700); Changwon drew 14,575 and Daejeon 14,897. [ 5 , 6 ]
- The league passed 12 million spectators on Oct. 1 in 684 games, the fewest games in which it has reached that mark. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Thirty games were cancelled in August because of a heat wave, and the season continued while national-team players were away at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The KBO attributed the attendance to the national team's first World Baseball Classic quarterfinal in 17 years, a fifth consecutive Asian Games gold medal and young star players. [ 6 ]
- The LG Twins said they set a club single-season attendance record. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Twenty-one regular-season games remained after the record was set. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The 2026 KBO League set an all-time single-season attendance record, with 12,362,000 spectators over 699 games as of Oct. 5, beating the 12,312,519 of 2025. [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- A total of 95,922 spectators attended games at five stadiums on Oct. 5. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Three of the five stadiums sold out on Oct. 5: Jamsil (23,750), Daegu (24,000) and Suwon (18,700). [ 5 , 6 ]
- The league passed 12 million cumulative attendance on Oct. 1, in 684 games, the fewest games in which it has done so. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The season lost 30 games to an August heat wave and was played while national-team players were at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The LG Twins said they broke their club single-season attendance record. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Twenty-one games remained in the regular season after the record was set. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the league will reach 13 million spectators by the end of the season. The documents describe this only as an expectation with 21 games left; no final figure exists yet.
- The exact attendance figure behind the LG Twins' club record. Only one outlet reported 1,550,988 through Oct. 4 against 1,542,458 in 2025; other outlets confirmed only that a club record was set.
- KT clinching first place in the regular season with a 9-0 win over Lotte on Oct. 5. Mentioned by a single outlet and not corroborated elsewhere in the documents.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The KBO League passes 12 million cumulative spectators in 684 games, the fewest games in which it has reached that mark. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The LG Twins announce that they have broken their club single-season attendance record, with 1,550,988 spectators through that day, before their home game against the KIA Tigers at Jamsil. [ 1 ]
- The Jamsil game sells out before it begins, and the LG club record is reported again. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The KBO announces that 95,922 people entered five stadiums and that the season total of 12,362,000 has set an all-time single-season record. [ 4 ]
- Stadium-by-stadium figures are reported, including 24,000 at Daegu, 23,750 at Jamsil, 18,700 at Suwon, 14,575 at Changwon and 14,897 at Daejeon, and KT clinches first place with a 9-0 win over Lotte. [ 5 , 6 ]