The International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) on Friday published its International Transfer Snapshot, disclosing a detailed view of men's and women's football transfers in the 2023 mid-year window from June 1 to September 1.

Transfer fees

Men

According to the report, a total of 10,125 men's transfers were completed during the window and almost 20 percent included a transfer fee.

Clubs spent a total of $7.36 billion on transfer fees, with the Premier League leading the list of spending at $1.98 billion.

Saudi Arabia was second with $875.4 million, ahead of France ($859.7 million), Germany ($762.4 million), Italy ($711.0 million) and Spain ($405.6 million).

Women

Transfers in women's football increased for the sixth year in a row with 829 in total, 66 of which were for fees – both are records. And women's transfer fees reached a record high of $3 million, more than double the total spending in 2022 mid-year transfer window.

Transfer types

Men

"As in previous years, out-of-contract transfers once again constituted the majority of transfers during the 2023 mid-year transfer window, namely 56.6 percent of the total," read the report.

The remaining 43.4 percent of transfers included permanent transfers (19.3 percent), loan deals (12.7 percent) and players returning to their parent clubs from a loan (11.5 percent).

Women

Some 84.4 percent of women's transfers were out of contract, with the remaining consisting of permanent transfers (7.8 percent), loan deals (4.7 percent) and players returning to their parent clubs from a loan (3 percent).

Footballers' age

Men

"Players between the age of 18 and 23 were involved in more than half (52.8 percent) of the 1,985 international transfers that included a transfer fee, followed by players aged 24 to 29 (38.7 percent)," read the report.

"The highest average transfer fee ($5.9 million) was in fact recorded for the 106 transfers with fees of players aged 30 or older," noted the paper.

Women

Female footballers between the ages of 18 and 23 and those between the 24 and 29 were "equally represented in international transfers," with each of these groups accounting for 44.1 percent of all transfers, read the report.

Transfers by confederation

Men

"European clubs were responsible for more than 80 percent of the global total spending on transfer fees and received more than 90 percent of these fees," read the report.

Over 75 percent of the international transfers involved "at least one club" from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

Clubs in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) spent a total of $1.03 billion on international transfers, accounting for 14 percent of the total on global trade.

"This is the first time ever that spending on transfers fees by clubs from any confederation other than UEFA surpassed 10 percent of the global total," said the report.

Women

UEFA had the largest number of international transfers in women's football, with 634 incoming and 565 outgoing transfers.

The Confederation of African Football had the "biggest relative increase in the number of incoming players," where clubs registered 50 percent more players from abroad than in the mid-year window last year.

Clubs from Germany "registered the highest number of new players," with 55 incoming players.

France was number one in releasing players, with 53 outgoing transfers.

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