A record $15.6 million was spent on international women’s football transfers in 2024 according to the latest FIFA report, more than doubling the previous mark set in 2023.
The research shared FIFA on Thursday showed that last year saw fees in the women’s game grow by more than 2.5 times, with 2023’s annual outlay summing to $6.1m.
A total of 695 women’s clubs engaged in 2,284 international deals in 2024, with 124 teams receiving money for outgoing transfers. The number of total dealings itself is a 20.8% increase on 2023’s data — marking the sixth straight year that transfers in the women’s game have increased by more than 20%.
NWSL transfers made up a number of the most significant deals in 2024, with Racheal Kundananji’s move to Bay FC from Real Madrid worth $787,600, not long before her Zambia teammate Barbra Banda moved to Orlando Pride from Shanghai Shengli for $740,000.
As the midseason transfer window for many European leagues approaches its close, it already seems clear that the 2025 figure could topple the $15.6m from 2024.
United States star Naomi Girma‘s move to Chelsea from San Diego Wave FC broke the $1m barrier for the first time in women’s football history, and the WSL team are set to spend big again on England international Keira Walsh from Barcelona before the end of Thursday for $572,000, according to ESPN sources.
In the men’s game, $8.59 billion was spent in 2024, down from a record $9.63bn in 2023. Some 40% of that figure was accounted for by the top 2.5% of transactions, per FIFA’s research, with clubs in England representing the most significant spenders and receivers of fees across the year.
English teams spent $1.88bn on players across the year and received $1.34bn. Brazilian clubs made up for the largest number of transfers, with 1,102 players joining teams and 1,113 leaving teams from the country.
American clubs saw more outgoings than incomings for the first time in several years, with 475 players leaving U.S. clubs compared to 398 players arriving.