FIFA has revealed that a record $9.89 billion was spent on 12,575 international transfers during the latest mid-year transfer window in men's professional football.
The figures, published in the governing body's report for the transfer period, mark the highest overall total expenditure ever registered in global football. According to a report by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency based on the FIFA data, the 12,575 completed international moves also set a new record for the total number of transfers conducted during a mid-year window.
A significant portion of the total expenditure was driven by players who featured in international competition earlier in the year. FIFA reported that $3.3 billion was spent on transfer fees for 267 players who took part in the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA, football's global governing body headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, tracks international player transfers between clubs across its member associations through its global transfer system. The mid-year transfer window, which aligns with the off-season for major domestic leagues in Europe, serves as the primary player trading period for clubs preparing for upcoming domestic and continental seasons.
English clubs lead global spending
English clubs led global spending during the window, investing more than $3.02 billion in transfer fees. Clubs in Italy followed in second place with $1.1 billion, ahead of Spain with $940 million, Germany with $904 million, and France with $641 million.
In addition to spending the highest total amount, English clubs completed the largest number of incoming international transfers. Clubs from Spain and Portugal finished second and third respectively for the total volume of incoming moves.
While English clubs dominated overall expenditure, French clubs brought in the highest overall total in transfer receipts. Clubs in France received $1.7 billion in transfer fees, followed by England with $1.43 billion, Germany with $1.02 billion, Spain with $773 million, and Portugal with $642 million.
England's top domestic competition, the Premier League, has consistently generated the highest revenue among European leagues through domestic and international broadcasting rights. This substantial financial advantage enables English teams to outspend rival European clubs during major transfer windows.
Women's football sets transfer records
Women's professional football also recorded unprecedented growth during the period, setting new records for both transfer volume and total fees paid. The FIFA report logged 1,406 international transfers in women's football, representing the highest total ever recorded and a 19.2 percent increase compared to the previous record.
Financial outlay in the women's game grew dramatically, reaching a historic high of $28.6 million spent on international transfer fees. The figure more than doubled the total amount recorded during the previous mid-year transfer window.
English clubs topped spending in women's professional football with $8.0 million, ahead of Spain with $6.6 million, Germany with $4.9 million, the United States with $2.9 million, and Italy with $2.1 million.
Swedish clubs generated the highest revenue from international transfers in the women's game, receiving $4.2 million in fees. Clubs in England followed with $4.0 million, France and Germany each received $3.6 million, and the Netherlands earned $2.9 million.
Women's professional football has experienced accelerated commercial expansion in recent years, supported by rising spectator interest, expanded media coverage, and increased financial investment from major international clubs and national associations.
