Global Transfer Market Report: 16,533 international transfers in 2018 and a total of $7.03bn spent

Clubs spent a record of $7.03bn (€6.14bn on 31/12/2018) on international transfers in 2018, a 10.3% increase compared to 2017, according to the 2018 edition of the Global Transfer Market Report published by FIFA on 30/01/2019.

According to the study by FIFA TMS, the platform that records international transfers, 78.2% of the $7.03bn spent in 2018 was spent on transfers between clubs in the UEFA zone. The 31 clubs that spent more than $50m (€43.6m) each accounted for more than half of the expenses incurred by all clubs worldwide in 2018.

"A new record was set with 16,533 international transfers (in 2018), 5.6% more than in 2017, involving 14,186 players of 175 different nationalities.

A total of 16,533 international transfers were recorded by FIFA TMS in 2018, which is 5.6% more than in 2017 (15,624). 14,186 players from 175 different nationalities were involved in these transfers. Only 15% of transfers recorded in 2018 included a transfer fee.