Record-Breaking Spending Confirmed By FIFA International Transfer Snapshot

FIFA has published its International Transfer Snapshot (1 June – 1 September 2023), an analysis of the international player transfer activity during the 2023 mid-year transfer window, which reveals a number of all-time high figures in both men’s and women’s football. 

A figure of USD $7.36bn (£5.9bn) was spent on transfer fees in the 2023 mid-year window, which represents an increase of 47.2% compared to the 2022 mid-year period and 26.8% compared to the previous mid-year record set in 2019. 

Emilio García Silvero, FIFA Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, commented: “England topped the list in the 2023 mid-year period when it came to spending on transfer fees (USD $1.98bn or £1.58bn), the number of incoming transfers (449) and the number of outgoing transfers (514).

“Germany, however, was the number one in terms of receipts from transfer fees (USD $1.11bn) – this being the first time ever that clubs from a single association have received more than USD $1bn in the mid-year transfer window alone.” 

Saudi Arabia was the number two in spending with a total of USD $875.4m, ahead of France (USD $859.7m), Germany (USD $762.4m), Italy (USD $711m) and Spain (USD $405.6m).

As a result, clubs from the AFC region accounted for 14.0% of the global transfer spending, marking the first time that teams from a confederation other than UEFA have surpassed 10% of the total. 

In relation to the women’s game, Silvero, added: “The number of transfers during the mid-year registration period also increased for the sixth year in a row, with 829 transfers, 66 of which were with fees. These are both new records, with +19.1% and +83.3% respectively.”

Europe was also dominant in the women’s game, with 634 incoming and 565 outgoing transfers. Germany came out on top in terms of the number of incoming transfers (55), whereas France led the way in outgoing transfers, with a total of 53.

Spending on transfer fees in the women’s game more than doubled compared to the 2022 mid-year window, reaching a new mid-year record of USD $3m.

Agent fees also reached a new high, with USD $696.6m paid during the mid-year window, bringing the total for 2023 to date to USD $853m, which is 36.9% higher than in the whole of 2022 and more than in any other year. 

In January 2024, FIFA will publish an in-depth analysis of the characteristics of international transfers concluded over the course of the whole year (2023). 

To download the full snapshot, please click HERE or visit legal.fifa.com.