Global football clubs spent a record $9.89bn during the 2026 summer transfer window, while more than 12,500 international transfers were registered, according to figures released by FIFA on 3 September.
The spending total is the highest recorded for a summer, or mid-year, transfer window. The number of international moves also reached a new record, underlining the scale of activity across the global transfer market.
English clubs were the biggest spenders, investing more than $3.02bn in transfer fees. Italian clubs ranked second after spending $1.1bn, followed by clubs in Spain with $940m, Germany with $904m and France with $641m.
The figures were released after the conclusion of a summer window shaped in part by the global attention surrounding the 2026 World Cup. FIFA said the tournament had created “a large number of new opportunities for players in the transfer market”.
A total of 267 players from 47 countries who took part in the 2026 World Cup were involved in club transfers completed during the window. The combined fees for those players exceeded $3.3bn.
FIFA said the group included established players who strengthened their reputations on the World Cup stage, as well as emerging stars who made an impact internationally. Many of the participating players subsequently completed major moves between clubs.
English clubs also recorded the highest number of incoming transfers during the window. Spanish clubs ranked second in that category, with Portuguese clubs third.
The rankings were different when transfer income was considered. French clubs led the way, receiving $1.7bn from player sales. England was second with $1.43bn, followed by Germany on $1.02bn, Spain on $773m and Portugal on $642m.
FIFA described the summer as another landmark period for professional football, with records broken for both the overall value of international transfers and the number of deals completed.
The data covers worldwide club transfers registered during the summer window. It also highlights the continuing prominence of English clubs in the transfer market, both through the size of their investment and the number of players they recruited.
FIFA’s announcement linked the record figures to the opportunities generated by the 2026 World Cup, which it described as “not only the highest stage in international football but has also become a highly anticipated global event”.
The tournament provided a worldwide platform for players from 47 countries, and the subsequent movement of 267 World Cup participants contributed more than $3.3bn to the total transfer fees recorded during the window.
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