A FIFA report revealed a record 5,973 international transfers in men's soccer during the January trading window, marking a 3% increase from the previous year. Total spending fell 18% to $1.95 billion, though it exceeded the January 2023 record by 20%. In women's soccer, spending rose 85% to over $10 million, despite a 6% drop in transfers to 420.
The FIFA report, released on Thursday in Zurich, highlighted significant activity in the global soccer transfer market during the January window. For men's soccer, the 5,973 cross-border deals between clubs in different countries represented a 3% rise compared to the prior year. These transactions, processed by FIFA, exclude domestic moves within the same country.
Despite the increase in volume, overall spending declined by about 18% from last year's record, totaling $1.95 billion. FIFA noted this figure remains 20% higher than the previous record set in January 2023. English clubs led the spending with $363 million in transfer fees, recouping only $150 million from sales abroad. Italy ranked second at $283 million, followed by Brazil, Germany, and France in the top five spenders.
On the earnings side, French clubs profited most with $218 million from transfer sales, trailed by Italy, Brazil, England, and Spain. In the United States, clubs spent $99 million while earning $48 million. The report also covered women's soccer, where international transfer spending surpassed $10 million—an 85% jump from the previous record—though the number of deals fell 6% to 420. English women's clubs dominated both spending, over $5 million, and earnings.
This data underscores ongoing trends in the soccer transfer market, with robust activity in Europe and emerging growth in women's transfers.