Clubs spend record $9.89 billion in international transfer window, FIFA says

Football’s summer transfer market reached a new financial high, with clubs spending more than $9.89 billion on international fees, according to FIFA.

The governing body recorded more than 12,500 transfers in men’s football, surpassing the previous year’s 11,863. English clubs again led the spending, paying more than $3.02 billion to sign players from overseas clubs. That figure is below the £3.49 billion reported for Premier League spending by British media because that total also includes transfers between English clubs.

Italian clubs ranked second for international spending at $1.1 billion, followed by Spain with $940 million, Germany with $904 million and France with $641 million. French clubs led transfer income, receiving $1.7 billion. English clubs collected $1.43 billion, followed by Germany, Spain and Portugal.

FIFA said the 2026 World Cup had a major effect on the market. A total of 267 World Cup players from 47 nationalities changed clubs between June and September, with those players involved in more than $3.3 billion in transfer fees.

The women’s game also set new marks. International transfers rose to 1,406, up 19.2% from the previous record, while spending more than doubled from the corresponding 2025 window to reach $28.6 million. English clubs led spending at $8 million, while Swedish clubs received the most in fees, with $4.2 million.