FIFA reports show further upward trend in both men's and women's transfer markets

Spending in men’s football reaches new high of USD 7.35 billion, 5.8% more than in 2018

Number of international transfers (+19.7%) and transfer fees (+16.3%) in women’s football also on the rise

FIFA has just released the new edition of the Global Transfer Market Report. For the second consecutive year, it is offered in two versions: one covering men’s football and another covering women’s football.

The two reports provide detailed data on the global international transfer activity at professional football clubs around the world throughout 2019.

Key statistics from the men’s report:

Spending reached a new high of USD 7.35 billion, 5.8% more than in 2018

A new record was set with 18,042 international transfers, which involved 15,463 players of 178 different nationalities

80% of all spending on transfer fees came from 100 clubs combined

Portugal had the largest positive net balance with USD 384.0 million. England had the largest negative net balance with USD -549.9 million

More than one in every four transfers of players under 18 included sell-on fees

Key statistics from the women’s report:

All-round upward trends, including the number of international transfers (+19.7%), clubs involved (+24.5%) and transfer fees (+16.3%)

Almost 20% of all transfers involved a player from the USA, by far the most represented nationality in the transfer market

The average contract duration has grown from 10.5 months in 2018 to 12.1 months in 2019 (+16%)

The reports also include summary tables with the volume and value of transfers for each of the 211 FIFA member associations, and other information such as transfer types, nationality and age of the players involved, and historical comparisons.

"We are happy to once again share the GTM reports for both men and women’s football, which clearly reflect the constantly evolving trends in the global transfer market. It is remarkable to see a new record number of transfers in the men’s market. We observe as well increasing all-round figures in the women’s market, which is a sign of the positive overall development of women’s football over the last year which we trust will continue in 2020," said FIFA’s Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, Dr Emilio García Silvero.

The data published in the FIFA Global Transfer Market Reports is extracted from ITMS, which is used by all 211 FIFA member associations around the globe and over 7,000 professional football clubs for the international transfer of professional football players.

The FIFA Global Transfer Market Reports are now available for free download:

FIFA GTM 2019 – Men

FIFA GTM 2019 – Women

All TMS reports

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