Ulsan Whales Set for Historic Futures League Debut March 20

The Ulsan Whales, the first professional baseball team based in Ulsan, will open the 2026 KBO Futures League with a historic opening game against the Lotte Giants at 6:30 p.m. on March 20 at Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium.

The Ulsan city government announced on the 26th that the Futures League regular season schedule for the Ulsan Whales, which was officially established on February 2, has been finalized. As the first official league debut of a local government-led professional baseball team, it is expected to mark a new starting point for expanding the regional sports infrastructure and revitalizing citizens' leisure culture.

This year's KBO Futures League has been reorganized with the addition of the newly formed Ulsan Whales. Ulsan has been placed in the Southern League along with KT, NC, Lotte, Samsung, and KIA, while Sangmu, formerly in the Southern League, has moved to the Northern League, with both leagues now operating with six teams each. Ulsan will embark on a grueling 121-game regular season (61 home games) from March 20 to September 20.

Jang Won-jin, a former Doosan Bears franchise star, has been appointed as the Ulsan Whales' first manager. Joining Manager Jang are seasoned coaching staff with extensive professional experience, including head coach Choi Ki-moon and pitching coach Park Myung-hwan, who are building a solid foundation for the new team.

The player selection process attracted significant attention in baseball circles. The two-day tryout held at Munsu Baseball Stadium in January drew 230 applicants for just 35 roster spots, resulting in an intense competition ratio of approximately 6.5 to 1.

The founding members who made the final roster are reminiscent of a "foreign legion." The team brings together veteran players seeking a comeback after being released from first-team rosters, undrafted prospects from high schools and colleges, and players from independent leagues. Foreign players from Japan's NPB and Australian leagues have also joined, and their determination after desperately seeking one more chance is expected to bring a fresh wave of excitement to the Futures League.

The city of Ulsan secured a significant change to the game schedule for office workers and families. At the city's request, all weekday (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) home games in the Futures League, previously held at 1 p.m., have been moved to 6:30 p.m. Weekend and holiday games will start at 1 p.m. Home games have also been scheduled for Mondays when there are no first-team games, greatly increasing fan accessibility and focus on second-team games, while Tuesdays will serve as a fixed rest day.

To protect players during the hot summer months, all games from July 15 to August 24 will start at 6 p.m. If games are rained out between April and May, they will be made up the following day as seven-inning doubleheaders. Rules have been changed to limit extra innings from the 10th to 12th innings for player stamina management, with games ending in a tie thereafter.

An Ulsan city official stated, "In an era of 12 million professional baseball spectators, the Ulsan Whales' opening game will be an opportunity for Ulsan to leap forward as a sports city where citizens can enjoy and participate together," adding, "We will continue to provide administrative and financial support to thoroughly prepare for the opening game and home games, so that the Ulsan Whales can establish itself as core content representing 'Fun City Ulsan.'"