Men's football spending reaches USD 9.76 billion, a new all-time high (an increase of more than 50% v. mid-2024)
Women's football transfer fees climb to USD 12.3 million, also the highest ever (an increase of more than 80% v. mid-2024)
Number of transfers in both men's (almost 12,000) and women's (more than 1,100) football set new records
The mid-year transfer window of 2025 (from 1 June to 2 September 2025, including transfers concluded during the special transfer window from 1 to 10 June 2025 due to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ ) confirmed another period of significant growth in the international player transfer market, with both men's and women's football surpassing previous records for activity and spending, according to the data released by FIFA today. All transfer data is presented on FIFA's interactive platform allowing detailed comparisons among all FIFA Member Associations and across time.
The men's market continues to register unprecedented levels of activity and expenditure, while the women's sector continued to demonstrate rapid growth, underlining its increasing professionalisation and appeal to clubs and players worldwide. In men's professional football, almost 12,000 international transfers were concluded during the 2025 mid-year window, a new record. Spending on transfer fees rose to USD 9.76 billion, the largest mid-year figure ever recorded and an increase of more than 50% compared to the same period in 2024. England consolidated its position as the leading global investor in talent, committing more than USD 3 billion in transfer fees, itself the highest amount ever spent by a single association. In terms of the number of incoming transfers, England, Portugal and Brazil occupied the top three positions. Women's professional football registered particularly strong growth, and with more than 1,100 transfers completed, the market set a new record. Spending on transfer fees reached USD 12.3 million, an increase of more than 80% compared to mid-year 2024. The USA emerged as the biggest spender, investing more than USD 4 million, the highest amount ever reported for women's football. The leading associations by the number of incoming transfers were Germany, England and the USA. "We have observed a transfer market in full swing both in men's and women's football", said Emilio Garcia Silvero, FIFA's Chief Legal & Compliance Officer. "While this is a relevant development in men's football a year ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the increasing figures in women's football transfers are equally remarkable as they confirm the exponential growth of the women's game at club level." Taken together, the 2025 mid-year results highlight the continuing expansion of international player mobility and the growing scale of the global transfer system.
