Clubs around the world completed a record 24,558 international transfers in men’s football in 2025, with total spending rising to $13.08 billion, world football’s governing body FIFA said in its Global Transfer Report published on Wednesday.
This number represents an increase of more than 7 percent compared to 2024 and marks the highest volume of international men’s transfers ever recorded.
Across all levels of football – men’s and women’s professional football as well as amateur football – FIFA said a record 86,158 international player transfers were completed in 2025, one of several major transfers involving major European clubs.
Liverpool signed the 22-year-old for a guaranteed fee of 100 million pounds ($137.77 million) and up to 16 million pounds in potential bonuses.
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The top five international transfers also included Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt to Liverpool), Jhon Duran (Aston Villa to Al-Nassr), Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig to Manchester United) and Nick Woltemade (VfB Stuttgart to Newcastle United).
Women’s football saw another year of significant growth, with 2,440 international transfers completed by 2025, an increase of more than six percent on the previous year. Total transfer expenditure reached a record amount of $28.6 million, more than 80 percent higher than in 2024.
One of the notable transfers was American side Orlando Pride signing Mexican winger Lizbeth Ovalle from Liga MX Femenil club Tigres for a world record women’s transfer fee of US$1.5 million.
FIFA recorded 59,162 amateur players moving to clubs abroad in 2025, a new high and an increase of 9.4 percent on the previous year.
Published on January 28, 2026
