FIFA - Global Transfer Report 2025 (january 2026)

Global Transfer Report 2025

JANUARY 20262

Contents 1 . Foreword 4 2. Men’s professional football 6 2.1 Global overview 7 2.2 T ransfer fees and types 9 2.2.1 T ransfer fees 9 2.2.2 Sell-on fees 11 2.3 T op transfers 13 2.4 Players and contracts 14 2.4.1 Player age 14 2.4.2 T rials 16 2.4.3 Contract duration and player salaries 18 2.4.4 Player nationalities 20 2.5 Geographical overview 22 2.5.1 T ransfers by confederation 22 2.5.2 T ransfers by association 24 2.6 Club characteristics 29 2.6.1 T op spending clubs in 2025 31 3 . Women’s professional football 34 3.1 Global overview 35 3.2 T ransfer fees and transfer types 37 3.2.1 T ransfer fees 37 3.2.2 Sell-on fees 38 3.3 T op transfers 40 3.4 Players and contracts 41 3.4.1 Player age 41 3.4.2 Contract duration and player salaries 42 3.4.3 Player nationalities 44 3.5 Geographical overview 46 3.5.1 T ransfers by confederation 46 3.5.2 T ransfers by association 48 3.6 Club characteristics 52 3.6.1 T op spending clubs in 2025 533 4 . Amateur football 54 4.1 Global overview 55 4.2 Players 56 4.2.1 Player age 56 4.2.2 Player nationalities 57 4.3 Geographical overview 58 4.3.1 T ransfers by confederation 58 4.3.2 T ransfers by association 59

4.2 Players 56 4.2.1 Player age 56 4.2.2 Player nationalities 57 4.3 Geographical overview 58 4.3.1 T ransfers by confederation 58 4.3.2 T ransfers by association 59 4.4 Club characteristics 62 Definitions 63 Methodology 67 Disclaimer 684 1 . Foreword1. Foreword 5 Many of FIFA’s activities centre around the international transfer system, which remains one of the cornerstones of the global football ecosystem. With this report, we again shed light on the key factors shaping this system. We analyse the overall number of transfers, transfer fees paid, durations of contracts, player age and geographical overviews – as always, both for men’s and women’s football . FIFA is proud to be closely engaged with all football stakeholders in the shaping of the international transfer system. We remain committed to ensuring that our regulatory framework remains robust, transparent, effective and proportionate to meet the ever-evolving demands of the football industry. The past year saw, in particular, the entry into force of the Interim Regulatory Framework, which focused on the aim to provide clarity and stability within the global transfer system after the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the so-called “Diarra case”. The numbers reflected in this report demonstrate that this goal has been overwhelmingly achieved. FIFA is now pushing ahead with the consultation process on changes to the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, with the aim of reaching a consensus on long-term amendments, balancing and protecting the legitimate interests of players, clubs and all stakeholders involved. Most recently, at its meeting of 17 December 2025, the FIFA Council also approved various amendments to the Procedural Rules Governing the Football Tribunal (Procedural Rules) and to the FIFA Clearing House Regulations (FCHR). Insofar as the Procedural Rules are concerned, the amendments are mostly of a technical nature, and they largely aim to codify existing jurisprudence of the FIFA

various amendments to the Procedural Rules Governing the Football Tribunal (Procedural Rules) and to the FIFA Clearing House Regulations (FCHR). Insofar as the Procedural Rules are concerned, the amendments are mostly of a technical nature, and they largely aim to codify existing jurisprudence of the FIFA Football Tribunal and to further clarify existing procedures. In terms of the FCHR, a threshold of EUR 100 has been introduced, below which entitlements to training rewards will be considered discarded and will no longer be included in an allocation statement. This measure is intended to increase the efficiency of all FIFA Clearing House processes, again for the benefit of all stakeholders involved. Looking ahead, FIFA will continue to uphold its unwavering commitment to continuously modernising the global transfer system for the good of all those who are involved in the wonderful sport of football. Emilio García Silvero FIFA Chief Legal & Compliance Officer Jan Kleiner Director Football Regulatory6 2. Men’s professional football2. Men's professional football 7 2.1 Global overview Global spending on international transfer fees surged to an all-time high of USD 13.08 billion in 2025, a 52.3% increase compared to the USD 8.59 billion spent in 2024. Once again, a record number of clubs were involved in transfers: 1,214 clubs paid transfer fees, while 1,495 clubs received a fee for at least one outgoing player. International transfer activity also grew again, with 24,558 transfers completed in 2025 – an increase of 7.7% over the previous record, set in 2024. In total, 5,283 clubs worldwide were involved in these transfers. Although most transfers are still completed without a fee, the proportion of transfers with fees climbed to

a record 17.7% in 2025. Figure 1: Development of spending on transfer fees and number of clubs with fees Figure 2: Development of number of transfers and number of clubs involved Transfer fees (USD) Clubs receiving transfer fees Clubs spending on transfer fees 2017 6.30bn 976 2020 5.66bn 850 955 2021 4.87bn 838 967 2022 6.45bn 953 1,163 2023 9.66bn 1,026 1,244 2016 4.71bn 881 2019 7 .33bn 938 1,088 2018 6.93bn 839 1,003 2025 13.08bn 1,214 1,495 2024 8.59bn 1,099 1,379 770 837 Transfers without fees Transfers with fees Clubs involved in transfers 3,787 2020 1 7,1 8 9 4,146 13.2% 2023 21,818 4,983 15.1% 2019 18,081 4,126 14.9% 2022 20,370 4,796 14.0% 2018 16,550 3,933 14.4% 2021 18,137 4,534 12.3% 2025 24,558 5,283 17.7 % 2024 22,794 5,126 16.2% 2016 14,636 13.8% 3,595 2017 15,662 15.0% 3,7872. Men's professional football 8 Clubs are generally only permitted to register new players during two registration periods set by their association. One period is typically at the start of the year, with the second around the middle. This structure is reflected in both the volume of transfers and transfer fee expenditure throughout the year, which display two distinct peaks that correspond to these windows. The mid-year window is particularly notable for transfer fees, as spending peaks more sharply

with the second around the middle. This structure is reflected in both the volume of transfers and transfer fee expenditure throughout the year, which display two distinct peaks that correspond to these windows. The mid-year window is particularly notable for transfer fees, as spending peaks more sharply than the number of transfers, resulting in the highest average fee per transfer occurring in the middle of the year. Figure 3: Distribution of number of transfers and spending on transfer fees across the year in 2025 Jan 20.2% 13.0% May 0.4% 0.4% Sep 11.0% 12.5% Mar 4.4% 0.5% Jul 23.2% 32.4% Nov 0.5% 0.3% Feb 13.4% 7.9% Jun 3.8% 8.0% Oct 2.3% 0.0% Apr 0.8% 0.1% Aug 19.2% 24.8% Dec 0.7% 0.1% Number of transfers Value of transfer fees2. Men's professional football 9 2.2 T ransfer fees and types 2.2.1 T ransfer fees In the majority of transfers concluded in 2025, the transfer fee was below USD 500,000. Although these deals represented 56.5% of all transfers with fees, they accounted for just 2.9% of the total spending on transfer fees. In contrast, the small number of transfers involving fees exceeding USD 20 million – only 3.8% of all transfers – was responsible for nearly half of all global transfer spending in 2025. Figure 4: Distribution of number of transfers with fees and value of transfer fees by size of the transfer fees (2025) Most transfer fees in 2025 were agreed as fixed amounts, totalling USD 10.88 billion and accounting for 83.1% overall. Conditional fees made up an additional USD 2.10 billion (16.0% of the total). The remaining 0.8% of fees

Most transfer fees in 2025 were agreed as fixed amounts, totalling USD 10.88 billion and accounting for 83.1% overall. Conditional fees made up an additional USD 2.10 billion (16.0% of the total). The remaining 0.8% of fees resulted from the activation of release (buy-out) clauses in players’ contracts with their former clubs. Figure 5: T ransfer fees in USD by type (2025) Fixed fees Conditional fees Release (buy-out) fees 16.0% 83.1% 0.8% 10.88bn 2.10bn 0.11bn >0-500k 56.5% 2.9% >5m-20m 9.1% 30.5% >500k-1m 10.9% 2.6% >1m-5m 19.7% 15.5% >20m 3.8% 48.5% Number of transfers with fees Value of transfer fees Transfer fee range (USD)2. Men's professional football 10 Over 60% of all transfers involved players who were out of contract, and these moves generally did not require a transfer fee. The main exception occurs when a player’s previous contract is ended through the payment of a release (buy-out) fee. In practice, the overwhelming majority of transfer fees (94.6%) were paid in permanent transfers that require a formal agreement between the selling and buying clubs. Although these transfers accounted for only 18.5% of all moves in 2025, they typically attract the greatest media attention. Figure 6: Distribution of number of transfers and value of transfer fees by transfer type (2025) Out of contract Loan Return from loan Permanent 94.6% 62.5% 18.5% 11.4% 7.5% Value of transfer fees (in % of total) Number of transfers (in % of total) 0.8% 0.0% 4.6%2. Men's professional football 11

Permanent 94.6% 62.5% 18.5% 11.4% 7.5% Value of transfer fees (in % of total) Number of transfers (in % of total) 0.8% 0.0% 4.6%2. Men's professional football 11 2.2.2 Sell-on fees In both permanent transfers and loans, the two clubs involved may agree on a sell-on fee, which grants the former club a percentage of a future transfer fee if the player moves on to a third club. The use of sell-on fees has grown steadily in recent years, and there were 3,841 such transfers in 2025, representing just over half of all permanent transfers and loans completed during the year. Figure 7: Development of number and percentage of transfers including a sell-on fee In 2025, the average sell-on fee agreed between clubs was 21.5%, a slight decrease from the 22.2% recorded in 2024. Although most sell-on fees fell within the 10-20% range, some exceeded 60% of a potential future fee. The relative share refers to all transfers excluding transfers out of contract and returns from loans as they cannot include sell-on fees. Figure 8: Distribution of transfers by size of the sell-on fee (2025) >0%-10% 1,121 >10%-20% 1,480 >40%-60% 357 >20%-40% 846 >60% 37 Sell-on fee range 2025 3,841 52.2% 2016 906 Number of transfers with sell-on fee Percentage of transfers with sell-on fee 2020 1,584 33.3% 2021 1,644 37.1%

2022 2,235 42.1% 2023 2,731 45.7% 2019 1,697 34.7% 2024 3,204 49.2% 24.4% 2017 1,176 28.8% 2018 1,401 32.6%2. Men's professional football 12 Sell-on fees are far more common in transfers of younger players and become less common as players get older. In 2025, almost 75% of all transfers involving players younger than 18 included a sell-on fee, compared to only 18.2% for players aged 30 and over. However, this still represents a slight increase from 2024, when only 15.6% of all transfers involving players aged 30 and over included a sell-on fee. Figure 9: Percentage of transfers including a sell-on fee by player age (2025) Sell-on fees are more common in transfers that also involve a regular transfer fee – whether fixed, conditional or paid through a release (buy-out) fee. In general, the likelihood of a transfer including a sell-on fee increases as the transfer fee increases (as illustrated by the dark blue line in Figure 10). The only exception to this pattern in 2025 was for transfers with fees exceeding USD 20 million. Notably, although higher-value transfers are more likely to feature a sell-on fee, the percentage agreed tends to decline as transfer fees increase (as illustrated by the light blue line in Figure 10). In 2025, the highest average sell-on fee was recorded in transfers without an upfront transfer fee, at 27.5% of a future fee, while transfers valued above USD 20 million had the lowest average sell-on fee at 13.5%. Figure 10: Percentage of transfers including a sell-on fee and average size of the sell-on fee

grouped by size of the regular transfer fee in the underlying transfer (2025) Player age (years) <18 74.5% 24-29 45.8% 18-23 57.7 % ≥30 18.2% % of transfers with sell-on fee Average sell-on fee Transfer fee range (USD) >5m-20m>500k-1m>0-500k >1m-5mNo fee >20m 66.7% 71.4% 80.9% 27.5% 20.5% 19.2% 68.6% 36.1% 56.6% 16.0%18.8% 13.5%2. Men's professional football 13 2.3 T op transfers The table below shows the five biggest international transfers of 2025. Figure 11: T op five international transfers by size of the transfer fee (2025) Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) VfB Stuttgart (Germany) RB Leipzig (Germany) Real Sociedad (Spain) Liverpool (England) Liverpool (England) Newcastle United (England) Manchester United (England) Arsenal (England) Florian Wirtz (Germany) Hugo Ekitike (France) Benjamin Šeško (Slovenia) Nick Woltemade (Germany) Martín Zubimendi (Spain)2. Men's professional football 14 Figure 12: Number of transfers and average transfer fee by player age (2025) Overall, this age distribution points to a more volume-driven approach for players aged 18-23 focused on development and future talent, and a more value-driven approach for players aged 24-29 aimed at securing immediate sporting impact with higher value players. 2.4 Players and contracts 2.4.1 Player age

aged 18-23 focused on development and future talent, and a more value-driven approach for players aged 24-29 aimed at securing immediate sporting impact with higher value players. 2.4 Players and contracts 2.4.1 Player age Players aged 18-23 were involved in the most international transfers (10,612) in 2025, and 22.5% of these transfers were with a transfer fee, which highlights clubs’ focus on acquiring younger players with development potential. Peak transfer values, however, were observed at a later stage, as players aged 24-29 commanded the highest average transfer fee, namely USD 3.3 million. This trend indicates that clubs are willing to pay a premium for players who are either entering or already at their competitive peak rather than investing solely in future potential. In contrast, there was a marked decline in both the number of transfers involving players aged 30 and over and the value of the transfer fees involved, reflecting a reduced willingness from clubs to invest significantly in older players. Transfers without fees Transfers with fees Average transfer fee (USD) 18-23 10,612 3.0m 24-29 9,816 3.3m 16.3% 22.5% <18 259 604k 47.9% ≥30 3,871 2.0m 6.3% Player age (years)2. Men's professional football 15 An interesting effect of players’ relative age can be observed in the distribution of international transfers across the players’ month of birth. While 12.1% of all transfers in the past ten years from 2016 to 2025 involved players born in the first month of the year, this share decreases towards the end of the year, with less than 7% of all transfers involving players born in December. As noted in the previous edition of this report, there are regional differences in this effect depending on the local rules based on which young players are placed into different cohorts. This effect also prevails among the most elite players. For both transfers with fees

transfers involving players born in December. As noted in the previous edition of this report, there are regional differences in this effect depending on the local rules based on which young players are placed into different cohorts. This effect also prevails among the most elite players. For both transfers with fees of more than USD 10 million (representing the top 1% of transfer fees) and transfers involving yearly total fixed remuneration of more than USD 1 million (representing the top 5% of transfers by player remuneration), the picture is very similar. The share of transfers of players born in January stands at around 11.5% for both of these categories, and drops to around 6.5% for players born in December. Figure 13: Distribution of international transfers (2016-2025) by player’s month of birth All transfers Transfers with fees > USD 10m Transfers with yearly total fixed remuneration > USD 1m Jan May SepMar Jul NovFeb Jun OctApr Aug Dec 0% 5% 10% 15% Player's month of birth2. Men's professional football 16 2.4.2 T rials Trials play an important role in football, serving as short evaluation periods without formal remuneration, during which clubs can assess a player’s skills and overall potential, and players can showcase their abilities. Typically, a trial involves a player training with a club for a defined period of time – sometimes participating in friendly matches – so that the club can decide whether to pursue the player further, which may include registration, offering a contract, or other steps depending on the player’s development. For many young players, a trial can open the door to organised football, while for experienced players it provides an opportunity to explore new pathways and advance their careers. Given that trials can involve movement between clubs – including internationally – in November 2022, FIFA introduced a dedicated framework within the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) supported by the Transfer Matching System (TMS). This framework ensures that trials are properly documented,

and advance their careers. Given that trials can involve movement between clubs – including internationally – in November 2022, FIFA introduced a dedicated framework within the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) supported by the Transfer Matching System (TMS). This framework ensures that trials are properly documented, with agreed conditions such as duration, expenses (including meals, accommodation, travel and others) and safeguarding measures, particularly for minors. Without these protections, trials could expose young players to exploitation or mistreatment. By combining transparency, accountability and robust standards, football can maintain trials as a fair and positive mechanism for talent identification and career development. To reinforce these protections, the regulations set clear limits on the duration of trials to prevent abuse and provide certainty for both the player and club. Players aged 21 or younger may be on trial for a maximum of eight weeks per club in any one season, while players over 21 are limited to three weeks per club per season. These weeks do not need to be consecutive and can be split across the season of the inviting club. For international trials involving minors, additional safeguards apply: trials are only permitted from the season in which the player turns 16 (or 15 if both the player and club are domiciled in Europe), and written parental consent is mandatory. These measures ensure that trials remain structured, time-bound and protective of young players’ welfare. The number of confirmed trials per year has increased in recent years, from 1,584 in 2023 to 2,366 in 2025. For the sake of completeness, the data reported in this subsection includes trials in both men’s and women’s football. In 2025, 6.1% of the 2,366 trials involved female players. By way of comparison, the share of international transfers in women’s professional football was 9.0% of the total in men’s and women’s professional football combined.2. Men's professional football 17 Almost half of the players who went on a trial in 2025 were registered at another

transfers in women’s professional football was 9.0% of the total in men’s and women’s professional football combined.2. Men's professional football 17 Almost half of the players who went on a trial in 2025 were registered at another club as amateurs during the trial period. The remaining trials were split into roughly equal parts between players registered as professionals with another club and players who were not registered with another club at all. With an average duration of 31.4 days, trials of professional players were also the longest compared to those of non-registered and amateur players (11.2 and 17.9 days, respectively). Figure 14: Development of confirmed trials since 2023 and distribution of trials by player status at the former club (2025) Unsurprisingly, trials are particularly common for younger players who are at the onset of their football careers. Players aged 18 or below comprised more than 80% of all triallists in 2025. Older players go on trials much less frequently, with those older than 25 only making up a little over 2% of all trials. Clubs from Italy completed the highest number of trials in 2025 with a total of 717, followed by England (452), Germany (165), Spain (148) and Denmark (146). Three of the top five player nationalities represented in trials were European (British (221), French (151), Irish (128)) and the remaining two were African (Ivorian (116), Ghanaian (104)). Number of trials 2023 1,584 2025 2,366 2024 2,231 Amateur Professional Not registered with another club or MA 27.1% 45.8% 27.0% 1,084 642

6402. Men's professional football 18 2.4.3 Contract duration and player salaries In 2025, the average contract length for international transfers was 19.5 months. 1

However, there was wide variation in terms of duration, with contracts ranging from

27.0% 1,084 642

6402. Men's professional football 18 2.4.3 Contract duration and player salaries In 2025, the average contract length for international transfers was 19.5 months. 1

However, there was wide variation in terms of duration, with contracts ranging from less than six months (16.1% of all transfers in 2025) to more than four years (4.9%). Over 60% of all contracts fell somewhere between six and 24 months. As illustrated in Figure 16, younger players generally receive longer-term contracts, while older players tend to be offered shorter contracts. Figure 15: Distribution of contract duration in international transfers (2025) 1All statistics regarding contract durations and player salaries are excluding loans and returns from loans. Figure 16: Average contract duration (in months) by player age (2025) Contract duration >6-12 months 36.1% >0-6 months 16.1% >3-4 years 7. 4% >2-3 years 11.5% >1-2 years 24.0% >4 years 4.9% Player age (years) 18-23 23.3 <18 35.8 ≥30 13.2 24-29 18.32. Men's professional football 19 A player’s total fixed remuneration represents the overall fixed amount that they will receive over the duration of their new employment contract, as recorded in TMS. This includes salaries, sign-on fees and any other payments that are contractually guaranteed by the new club, but excludes conditional compensation such as performance-related bonuses. The yearly total fixed remuneration reflects the average annual amount that a player will earn based on the contract’s length. In 2025, the median yearly total fixed remuneration was just under USD 29,000. As with contract durations, remuneration levels varied widely: more than 25% of transfers in 2025 involved yearly total fixed remuneration exceeding USD 100,000, while only 4.3% of

fixed remuneration was just under USD 29,000. As with contract durations, remuneration levels varied widely: more than 25% of transfers in 2025 involved yearly total fixed remuneration exceeding USD 100,000, while only 4.3% of transfers offered more than USD 1 million per year. Figure 17: Distribution of yearly total fixed remuneration in international transfers (2025) Yearly total fixed remuneration (USD) >25k-50k 14.7% >0-25k 47. 3 % >500k-1m 3.6% >100k-500k 17.6 % >50k-100k 12.5% >1m 4.3%2. Men's professional football 20 2.4.4 Player nationalities In 2025, the players involved in international transfers represented 186 different nationalities, up from 176 in the previous year. Of the 24,558 transfers completed, 10,226 – or 41.6% – involved players from the ten most common nationalities. Brazilian players accounted for by far the largest share, with 2,326 transfers, followed by players from Argentina (1,207), France (1,185), Nigeria (1,090) and the United Kingdom (1,057). All five of these countries also made up the top 5 in 2024. Figure 18: Player nationalities by number of international transfers in 2025

Transfers: 1 ≥1,0002. Men's professional football

21 French players led the way in terms of clubs’ spending on transfer fees, with USD 1.67 billion being spent to secure their services in 2025. They were followed by players from Brazil (USD 1.21 billion), the Netherlands (USD 780.7 million), Spain (USD 662.6 million) and Germany (USD 627.6 million). Of the 186 nationalities represented across all transfers in 2025, 135 were involved in at least one transfer

by players from Brazil (USD 1.21 billion), the Netherlands (USD 780.7 million), Spain (USD 662.6 million) and Germany (USD 627.6 million). Of the 186 nationalities represented across all transfers in 2025, 135 were involved in at least one transfer that included a fee, an increase from the 127 recorded in the previous year. More than half of all money invested in transfer fees in 2025 – USD 7.39 billion of USD 13.08 billion – was spent on players of the top ten nationalities. Figure 19: Player nationalities by spending on international transfer fees in 2025 Transfer fees (USD): 1 ≥500m2. Men's professional football 22 2.5 Geographical overview 2.5.1 T ransfers by confederation Nearly two thirds of all transfers in 2025 (64.3%) took place between clubs within the same confederation (as shown in the diagonal values in Figure 20). Transfers between UEFA clubs accounted for the largest share, namely 41.2% of all transfers (10,119). The next largest flows were within CAF (1,974 transfers), followed by CONMEBOL (1,717) and the AFC (1,396). The fifth largest group (1,322) consisted of players moving from UEFA to the AFC. Figure 20: Number of transfers between and within confederations (2025) Confederation of engaging club UEFA UEFA Concacaf

CONMEBOL

CAF AFC CONMEBOL Concacaf CAF AFC 10,119 795 340 1,000 12 4 7 719 854 1,717 312 29 1 318 477 1,322 523 19 373 590 90 4 34 666 3 25 56 1,396 371 12 19 1,974 377 OFC OFC2. Men's professional football 23 Europe continues to dominate transfer fee expenditure, with clubs from UEFA

477 1,322 523 19 373 590 90 4 34 666 3 25 56 1,396 371 12 19 1,974 377 OFC OFC2. Men's professional football 23 Europe continues to dominate transfer fee expenditure, with clubs from UEFA accounting for over 80% of global spending in 2025, totalling USD 10.72 billion, a substantial increase on the USD 6.96 billion spent by UEFA clubs in 2024. This was led by clubs from England (USD 3.82 billion), Germany (USD 1.28 billion) and Italy (USD 1.20 billion). The AFC ranked second in terms of transfer fee spending, with Asian clubs accounting for USD 1.21 billion, or 9.3%, of the global total. This figure was largely driven by clubs from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, whose expenditures reached USD 906.9 million, USD 128.9 million and USD 106.6 million, respectively. UEFA clubs were also the largest recipients of transfer fees in 2025, collecting a total of USD 11.24 billion, again a marked increase on the USD 6.94 billion received in 2024. Clubs from CONMEBOL ranked second, receiving USD 1.11 billion in transfer fees. Figure 21: Spending on transfer fees between and within confederations (2025) Confederation of engaging club UEFA UEFA Concacaf

CONMEBOL

CAF AFC CONMEBOL Concacaf CAF AFC 9.51bn 776.5m 158.7m 86.1m 191.1m 125.9m

119.0m 0.4m 19.4m 89.3m 0.2m 122.0m 50.0m 5.9m 11.9m 25.2m 10.6m 25.1m2.8m 0.3m 18.7m 346.2m 326.3m 1.03bn24.9m2. Men's professional football 24 2.5.2 T ransfers by association The following maps provide an overview of global transfer activity in 2025, illustrating the distribution of incoming and outgoing transfers as well as the transfer fees spent and received by association. More detailed statistics for each individual association are available online on the Global Transfer Report website. The top four associations led the way for both incoming and outgoing transfers. In terms of incoming transfers, Brazil topped the list with 1,190 arrivals, followed by Portugal (774), England (769) and Spain (623). Overall, 161 of the 211 FIFA Member Associations recorded at least one incoming transfer in 2025. Among associations with at least 100 incoming transfers in 2025, the association with the highest growth rate compared to 2024 in each confederation was Azerbaijan (UEFA), Brazil (CONMEBOL), Mexico (Concacaf ), Libya (CAF) and Kyrgyz Republic (AFC). Figure 22: Associations by number of incoming international transfers in 2025

Incoming transfers: 1 ≥5002. Men's professional football

25 Brazil also topped the list of outgoing transfers, with a total of 1,005, followed by England (942), Spain (895) and Portugal (834). Figure 23 shows that 186 associations recorded at least one outgoing transfer in 2025. Among associations with at least 100 outgoing transfers in 2025, the association with the highest growth rate compared to 2024 in each confederation was Andorra (UEFA), Paraguay (CONMEBOL), Costa Rica (Concacaf ), South Africa (CAF) and India (AFC). Figure 23: Associations by number of outgoing international transfers in 2025

the highest growth rate compared to 2024 in each confederation was Andorra (UEFA), Paraguay (CONMEBOL), Costa Rica (Concacaf ), South Africa (CAF) and India (AFC). Figure 23: Associations by number of outgoing international transfers in 2025

Outgoing transfers: 1 ≥5002. Men's professional football

26 Figure 24: Associations by spending on international transfer fees in 2025 English clubs were also the largest recipients of transfer fees, collecting USD 1.77 billion. They were followed by French clubs with USD 1.71 billion, and then by clubs from Germany (USD 1.49 billion), Italy (USD 1.10 billion) and Spain (USD 929.1 million). Fi