Global football set historic record in transfer market
Global football has set a historic record in the transfer market. According to a report published by FIFA on Wednesday, clubs around the world spent $9.76 billion on international transfers during the summer window, marking a 50% increase compared to 2024.
A total of nearly 12,000 transfers were recorded. Women’s football also broke records, with over 1,100 international moves and more than $12 million spent on transfer fees. A milestone was achieved by Lizbeth Ovalle, who transferred from Tigres Femenil to Orlando Pride for $1.5 million, becoming the most expensive female footballer in history.
“We’re witnessing a fully active transfer market in both men’s and women’s football,” said Emilio Garcia Silvero, FIFA’s Chief Legal and Compliance Officer.
“This is a significant development, especially just one year before the 2026 World Cup, while the extraordinary growth of women’s football confirms the strengthening of the game at the club level.”
The English Premier League continued to dominate the market, spending over $3 billion in just the last three months. German clubs profited the most from this capital flow, earning $893 million from transfers to England.
The biggest move was Florian Wirtz’s transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool, worth up to $156.7 million including bonuses. Liverpool also signed Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, while Newcastle broke their club record by signing German striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart for £69 million.
After England, Germany ranked second in total spending with $980 million, followed by Italy with $950 million. In terms of incoming players, England leads with 535 signings, followed by Portugal (479) and Brazil (425).
