FIFA reports record numbers
Transfer summer brings billions in cash to Bundesliga clubs
September 8, 2023, 5:24 p.m
More than a billion euros – that’s how much money will go to German football clubs this transfer summer. This enormous sum is a record reported by FIFA. Other brands are also falling. The player agents also benefit from the many changes.
The transfer summer of 2023 was hotter than ever and gave German professional clubs a billion-dollar financial injection: According to the world football association FIFA, a record sum of 7.36 billion US dollars (6.87 billion euros) was raised between June 1st and 1st September this year was spent on transfer compensation. That is 47.2 percent more than in the same period last year and 26.8 percent more than the old record, which was recorded in the transfer window in question in 2019.
According to FIFA, Germany achieved the highest transfer income at $1.11 billion (1.04 billion euros). For the first time ever, clubs in a country recorded revenue of more than a billion dollars in the mid-year transfer window alone.
“England leads the league table in terms of transfer compensation paid in the mid-year transfer window with $1.98 billion (€1.85 billion), as well as arrivals (449/419) and departures (514/480),” said Emilio Garcia Silvero, FIFA Legal and Compliance Director. The FIFA “International Transfer Snapshot” report shows the leagues’ record figures. In terms of spending, the other places behind England are Saudi Arabia (875.4 million dollars/817.05 euros), France (859.7/802.39), Germany (762.4/711.58), Italy ( 711.0/663.60) and Spain (405.6/378.56).
Player agents are also paid more than ever before
Spending $696.6 million (€650.16 million) on agency fees also represents a record high. The total result for 2023 is now 853 million dollars (796.14 million euros), 36.9 percent above the annual total for 2022 and more than in any other year.
Regarding women’s football, Garcia Silvero said: “The number of transfers in the mid-year transfer window increased for the sixth time in a row. In total there were 829 transfers, 66 of them for payments. This is 19.1 percent or 83 compared to last year .3 percent more and highs.” Here too, Europe is at the top with 634 arrivals and 565 departures. While Germany leads the way in terms of arrivals with 55, France has the most departures with 53. Compared to the same period last year, spending on transfer compensation in women’s football has almost doubled, reaching a record level for this transfer window at $3.0 million (2.8 million euros).