Record January window for transfers despite drop in spending

Football clubs worldwide set a new winter transfer window record in terms of the number of transactions completed, according to a statement released by FIFA on Thursday, but the overall amount spent was down compared to last year’s high. The January 2026 window saw a three per cent increase in the number of transfers compared […]

Football clubs worldwide set a new winter transfer window record in terms of the number of transactions completed, according to a statement released by FIFA on Thursday, but the overall amount spent was down compared to last year’s high.
The January 2026 window saw a three per cent increase in the number of transfers compared to the previous record set the year before with more than 5 900 international transactions completed.

However, with a total of over $1.9 billion spent, the cumulative amount splashed out on transfer fees is down by 18 per cent compared to the record set in January 2025 ($2.35 billion).