Almost 6,000 international transfers were registered, a new historical record and an increase of 3% compared to the previous record, which was already in January 2025
FIFA has just released the numbers for the January 2026 transfer window and the report shows a heated market — at least in terms of the number of deals.
In men’s football, almost 6,000 international transfers were registered, a new historical record and an increase of 3% compared to the previous record, which was set in January 2025.
The total amount spent on transfer fees reached more than US$1.9 billion. It seems like a lot (and it is), but it represents a drop of around 18% compared to the same period in 2025.
Still, the amount remains 20% above the January 2023 record.
Account summary: more players changed clubs, but with much smaller average checks. Who spent the most?
English clubs surged ahead, investing more than $360 million in transfer fees. Next come Italy, Brazil, Germany and France.
Who else received it?
France led the revenue ranking (player sales), with more than US$515 million, followed by Italy, Brazil, England and Spain.
And Brazil?
The country had a very strong participation in both directions: It was the one that hired the most players from abroad in the world: 456 international arrivals (ahead of Spain, Argentina, England and Portugal).
It also appeared among the largest exporters, ranking 3rd in the ranking of sales abroad (behind only Argentina and England).
Summarizing the January/2026 window:
Record activity in the number of transfers, total values lower than last year, but still very high historically. The English remain the biggest spenders on the planet, while Brazil showed strength in signings — despite facing the well-known financial difficulties of Brazilian football.
The market continues to turn.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
