Clubs around the world completed a record 24,558 international transfers in men’s football in 2025, with total spending rising to $13.08 billion, world soccer’s governing body FIFA said in its Global Transfer Report published on Wednesday.
The number represents an increase of more than 7% from 2024 and marks the highest volume of international men’s transfers ever recorded.
Across all levels of the game – men’s and women’s professional soccer as well as amateur football – FIFA said an all-time high of 86,158 international player transfers were completed in 2025.
Among the most expensive deals of the year was German midfielder Florian Wirtz’s move from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen to Premier League champions Liverpool, one of several headline transfers involving major European clubs.
Liverpool signed the 22-year-old for a guaranteed 100 million pounds ($137.77 million) and up to 16 million pounds in potential bonuses.
The top five international transfers also featured Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt to Liverpool), Jhon Duran (Aston Villa to Al-Nassr), Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig to Manchester United) and Nick Woltemade (VfB Stuttgart to Newcastle United).
Women’s football saw another year of significant growth, with 2,440 international transfers completed in 2025, more than a 6% rise from the previous year. Total transfer spending reached a record $28.6 million, more than 80% higher than in 2024.
One of the standout transfers was American side Orlando Pride signing Mexican winger Lizbeth Ovalle from Liga MX Femenil club Tigres for a women’s world-record transfer fee of $1.5 million.
FIFA recorded 59,162 amateur players moving to clubs abroad in 2025, a new high and a 9.4% increase from the previous year.
FIFA has confirmed record-breaking prize money for the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, reinforcing its commitment to the global growth of women’s club football.
The winners of the first women’s intercontinental club championship will earn USD 2.3 million — the highest single pay-out in the history of women’s club football. The runners-up will receive USD 1 million, while each losing semi-finalist will pocket USD 200,000.
Clubs eliminated in the early rounds, Auckland United FC and Wuhan Chegu Jiangda WFC, will each receive USD 100,000, bringing the total prize pool close to USD 4 million.
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström described the payout as a strong statement of belief in the women’s game, highlighting FIFA’s long-term investment strategy following the success of the Women’s World Cup 2023.
The final phase of the tournament will be staged in London from January 28 to February 1, 2026, with the final taking place at Arsenal Stadium.
Semi-final fixtures at Brentford Stadium will see Gotham FC face Corinthians, while Arsenal Women take on Morocco’s ASFAR.
The competition is part of FIFA’s wider plan to strengthen women’s club football ahead of the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup™, scheduled to debut in 2028.
Africa’s football hierarchy continues to be dominated by a familiar group of heavyweights, with North and West African nations maintaining their strong presence at the top of the FIFA Men’s World Rankings.
While positions may shift slightly with each new FIFA update, the continent’s elite remains largely unchanged heading into late 2025 and early 2026.
World Cup 2026 ticket holders are owed thousands of pounds by Fifa for tickets they resold on the tournament’s official marketplace, BBC Sport has found.
Fifa’s terms indicate payment should be made within 60 calendar days of a transaction,, external but some people who sold tickets on the website in early October have still not received their money.
Fifa, which has come under criticism for its World Cup ticket pricing, declined to provide a statement explaining the delays.
BBC Sport understands the issues stem from Fifa needing to obtain additional bank details from those affected before payments can be processed.
The tickets in question were part of the pre-sale draw which ran for 10 days in September, when one million tickets were made available.
Only Visa cardholders were eligible to apply. It is not known how many fans in total have been affected by the issue.
England supporter Iain is owed nearly £650 for a ticket he sold 65 days ago for Canada’s opening game in Toronto, money he had hoped to put towards England seats now the fixtures have been confirmed.
“Fifa are generating billions from this World Cup but can’t seem to do basic payment processing on time,” he said.
World Cup organisers on Tuesday announced a cheaper category of tickets after sustained criticism of the prices at the 2026 competition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA, the governing body of world football, said in a statement that it had created “Supporter Entry Tier tickets set at 60 US dollars each and available for all 104 matches, including the final”.
It said the plan was “designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament”.
FIFA said that the $60 (51 euros) tickets would be reserved for fans of qualified teams and would make up 10 percent of each national federation’s allotment.
Fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which last week called prices “extortionate” and “astronomical”, responded by saying the FIFA was offering too little.
“While we welcome FIFA’s seeming recognition of the damage its original plans were to cause, the revisions do not go far enough,” FSE said Tuesday in a statement.
Last week, FSE said ticket prices were almost five times higher than in 2022 in Qatar.
“If a supporter were to follow their team from the first match to the final it would cost them a minimum of $6,900,” it said at the time, adding that World Cup organisers had promised tickets priced from $21 in a bid document released in 2018.
On Tuesday, FSE said FIFA was reacting to complaints.
“For the moment we are looking at the FIFA announcement as nothing more than an appeasement tactic due to the global negative backlash,” FSE said.
“This shows that FIFA’s ticketing policy is not set in stone, was decided in a rush, and without proper consultation – including with FIFA’s own member associations.
“Based on the allocations publicly available, this would mean that at best a few hundred fans per match and team would be lucky enough to take advantage of the 60 US dollar prices, while the vast majority would still have to pay extortionate prices, way higher than at any tournament before.”
The organisation also criticised the failure to make provisions for supporters with disabilities or their companions.
Announcing the $60 tickets on Tuesday, FIFA said that national federations “are requested to ensure that these tickets are specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams”.
FIFA also said that if fans bought tickets for games in the knock-out rounds only to find their team eliminated at earlier stage, they “will have the administrative fee waived when refunds are processed.”
It added that it was making the announcement “amid extraordinary global demand for tickets” with 20 million requests already submitted.
The draw for tickets of all prices in this first round of sales will take place on Tuesday, January 13.
The FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025™ Local Organising Committee (LOC) has announced its full readiness to host the final three matches of the prestigious club competition during a press conference held in Doha.
The tournament will be contested at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on the 10, 13 and 17 of December, during the rest days of the ongoing FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™, further showcasing Qatar’s capability to seamlessly stage world-class football events and reinforcing international confidence in its hosting abilities.
Organisers highlighted that the tournament has garnered strong interest from regional and international fans alike.
Hassan Al Kuwari, LOC Executive Director of Marketing, Promotion and Commercial, said: “Qatar’s commitment to hosting world-class tournaments stems from our belief in advancing football at every level. This includes strengthening competition within the GCC region, uniting the Arab world at the Arab Cup, supporting the development of young talent and now welcoming global champions for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup. By hosting multiple tournaments in parallel, we’re showcasing the operational excellence that embodies our nation’s vision and reflects the proud sporting legacy of the Arab region.”
Roberto Grassi, FIFA Tournament Lead, said: “We are here to announce our readiness to host the third tournament which Qatar is successfully delivering in a few weeks. This is a reaffirmation of the strong partnership with Qatar. We believe in Qatar’s ability to deliver the best tournaments in the world using world class infrastructure. We want to thank all the stakeholders involved in the delivery of these events and look forward to a second edition of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, one that will echo the success of last year’s wonderful tournament.”
Organisers also announced that the Doha Metro will be free of charge for ticketholders attending the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Final Qatar 2025™ on 17 December, which will see Paris Saint-Germain face the winner of the FIFA Challenger Cup Qatar 2025™ in the tournament’s decisive match. Throughout the competition, the metro will provide comprehensive accessibility services and direct access to Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium via Al Riffa Metro Station (Green Line).
Fans travelling to Qatar are encouraged to explore the country’s cultural and entertainment events during their stay in Doha.
Qatar successfully hosted the first edition of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ in its new format in 2024 when Real Madrid were crowned club champions in front of a sell-out crowd at the iconic 80,000-seat Lusail Stadium, host of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Final.
The FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025™ serves as part of an exhilarating football calendar in Qatar, which also includes the AGCFF U-23 Gulf Cup Qatar 2025 and the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™, showcasing the nation’s continued ability to deliver world-class sporting events.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, 10 December 2025 | 8pm, Doha time
Cruz Azul (Mexico) v CR Flamengo (Brazil)-Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
Saturday, 13 December 2024 | 8pm, Doha time
FIFA Derby of the Americas Qatar 2025™ winner v Pyramids FC (Egypt)-Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
Wednesday, 17 December 2025 | 8pm, Doha time
Paris Saint-Germain (France) v FIFA Challenger Cup Qatar 2025™ winner-Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
FIFA and the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) have entered into a landmark partnership aimed at transforming sports infrastructure across developing nations.
Both bodies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide up to USD 1 billion in concessional loans for the construction and rehabilitation of FIFA-certified stadiums and essential surrounding infrastructure.
The initiative is designed to support FIFA Member Associations (MAs) in countries where investment in sports can significantly contribute to national development. Priority will be given to nations with clear strategies to use sport as a tool for economic and social progress.
According to global assessments, the sports sector contributes nearly 2% of the world’s GDP, underscoring its growing influence on employment, tourism, and community development. Yet, despite FIFA’s 211 Member Associations worldwide, a significant infrastructure gap persists between nations with modern, world-class facilities and those without.
This new partnership aims to bridge that divide. The concessional loans will enable governments to build or upgrade multi-sport venues that meet international standards while serving as community hubs for education, social inclusion, and youth development. The projects are expected to create jobs, stimulate local economies, and provide safe, modern spaces for young people to train and compete.
SFD and FIFA will work closely with national authorities to identify and deliver projects that support long-term economic resilience. The initiative is also intended to attract further investment from private-sector partners, regional organisations, and other development finance institutions creating a scalable model for sustainable sports development.
SFD CEO Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad emphasised the transformative power of sport, stating: “Sport is more than competition it’s a catalyst for development and inclusion. Through concessional financing, we are helping countries build the infrastructure they need to unlock potential, empower young people, and strengthen communities for generations to come.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino welcomed the agreement, saying: “FIFA’s role is to develop football worldwide, and many of our Member Associations need additional support for the infrastructure necessary to host competitions. This agreement is a crucial step in ensuring our Members have the facilities to make football truly global.”
For the Saudi Fund for Development, the partnership aligns with its long-standing mission to support growth and development across emerging economies. Over the past five decades, the SFD has financed more than 800 development projects worth over USD 22 billion in 100 countries, and the inclusion of sports infrastructure marks a new chapter in its global development agenda.
The adoption of the resolution followed a motion co-sponsored by Adedayo Adesola representing Apapa Federal Constituency of Lagos State and Nwaeke Uche representing Ebonyi State constituency. The period under reference is allegedly over a 10 – year period of 2015-2025. The lawmakers allege that the level of sports development is not commensurate with the funds made available over the period.
They said that “In December 2016, FIFA sent an audit query over the handling of a $1.1m development grant to NFF and reported that US$802,000 lacked proper documentations, prompting the then sports minister, Solomon Dalong, to order an independent audit and ask NFF to account for receipts and disbursements”. This was not an isolated case because, “between 2018 and 2019, NFF officials and the then President, Amaju Pinnick, faced public criticism and were subject of EFCC and ICPC probes and court actions tied to alleged mismanagement of various funds and sponsorship monies”.
The most recent controversy is about the $1.2 million which NFF allegedly used to construct the Birnin Kebbi Stadium, Kebbi State. There are allegations that the structure on ground so far is not commensurate with the alleged money sunk into the project. The representatives are demanding accountability from NFF.
Football has become a trillion-dollar global business, bringing to the world huge socio-economic gains. It is not called the ‘Beautiful game’ for nothing. Nations under FIFA rules have benefited from the organisational structure of FIFA and other continental affiliates. Football has become as lucrative as it is now a tool for national pride when well-run by federations.
It is on this premise that we feel very concerned about the headline of the current controversy. We are here talking about two unrelated stadium projects; one in Nigeria, the other in Kenya, with the former assisted by FIFA. The Kenyan project is being built by the Kenyan government for the 2027 AFCON, costing millions of dollars. The Nigerian Kebbi Township Stadium costs about one per cent of the Kenyan project.
While we believe that every citizen is entitled to freedom of speech, Mr. Peter Obi seemingly inferred a shady deal about the Kebbi stadium, citing the Kenyan Stadium cost as though they are on the same scale in cost and circumstance. Even if there is financial impropriety in this particular instance, more information could bring better clarity.
The NFF has often performed below average and can often appear financially opaque, but we must not always assume the worst based on a flawed narrative. The federation on its part must be accountable and use all grants from both FIFA and CAF for sports development in a country as blessed as Nigeria. Accountability is the soul of international businesses. Trust is built through such acts of transparency. The scandal around the 2022 Qatar World Cup has so far claimed many football administrators. This shows that FIFA is like Big brother that is always watching.
On the part of the law makers, we commend their quest at this time but we also believe that they might have failed in their oversight functions on the sports ministry under which NFF operates. The National Assembly must be more proactive than reactive.
Accountability is never based on arrears but is a consistent present action. Probes, especially in a developing country like Nigeria do not often yield the best results, oversight functions help to keep track and put the checks and balances of democracy active and effective.
Football as a global sports is fast redefining the socio-economic stands of nations and Nigeria occupies a prime position in the world. As the saying goes, to whom much is given, much is expected. If Morocco and South African federations are seemingly taking their national football infrastructure to the global stage, thereby encouraging development of the game in their countries, Nigeria can do better.
Nigeria is seen as the nation in Africa with the greatest influence on national leagues across continents, given her star exports. NFF must, like Caesar’s wife, be above reproach.
FIFA announced a new annual award called the FIFA Peace Prize which will be given to its first winner during the 2026 World Cup finals draw in Washington D.C. next month, world soccer’s governing body has said.
Dubbed the “FIFA Peace Prize – Football Unites the World”, FIFA said it was created to “reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace”.
“In an increasingly unsettled and divided world, it’s fundamental to recognise the outstanding contribution of those who work hard to end conflicts and bring people together in a spirit of peace,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.
“Football stands for peace, and on behalf of the entire global football community, the FIFA Peace Prize – Football Unites the World will recognise the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people, bringing hope for future generations.”
U.S. President Donald Trump had announced in August that the World Cup draw will take place on December 5 at the John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington, where 48 teams will learn their group stage opponents.
“We are uniting the world, Mr President, uniting the world, here in America, and we are very proud of that,” Infantino had told Trump before letting him hold the World Cup trophy.
Trump had aggressively lobbied for the Nobel Peace Prize this year and the White House had criticised the Nobel Committee’s decision to grant it to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado last month.
The World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11-July 19, with a record 104 matches in 16 host cities.
As part of its FIFA Forward program, the global soccer governing body on Friday inaugurated two mini-pitches in Niger as part of the FIFA Arenas project which was a historic moment in the football history of the West African country.
The two pitches situated at the CES 22 Talladje and CES 9 Harobanda primary school, both in the capital Niamey, ensures Niger becomes one of the 11 Member Associations to benefit from the initiative which has one of key projects under the FIFA Forward program.
The ultramodern sustainable facilities will provide students with a safe and inspiring space to hone their football skills, giving a ray of hope to about 10000 youth in communities within the two schools. The project is expected to impact positively and allowing youth from surrounding communities to play football ideal conditions, promoting social inclusion, personal growth, and passion for sport.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has cited the project as a watershed moment for football development in the West African country.
“Congratulations to the Nigerien Football Federation (FENIFOOT). You are part of our Starting 11—the first 11 countries to officially inaugurate their own FIFA Arena mini-pitches. You are contributing to a project capable of changing the lives of millions of children,” Infantino said.
His declaration was echoed by Issaka Adamou, FENIFOOT President who said the landmark project will mark a new chapter for grassroots football development in the country.
“When football becomes an educational tool, it’s a whole country preparing its youth’s future. Niger is committed to inclusive, dynamic, and civic-minded schooling through the power of sport. Integrating football into schools to strengthen civic education, social inclusion, and youth development through sport allows Niger to take a major step forward with FIFA for grassroots education and football.”
Similar views were shared by Elkhan Mammadov, FIFA Chief Member Association Officer who remarked “I’m delighted to see Nigerien youth inaugurate these FIFA Arena mini pitches today. These brand-new spaces offer Niamey’s children a safe and inspiring environment to play and grow through football. “
“Niger holds a special place in the global football community, and I’m convinced that among today’s young players, some will follow in the footsteps of Africa’s football legends”
The FIFA Arena project is part of a global initiative to build mini-pitches worldwide, in line with the commitment made by the FIFA President Infantino at the Sustainable Sport Summit in Paris in July 2024. The project supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by offering more play opportunities to children, especially in disadvantaged urban and rural areas.
The Starting Eleven code-named from the 11 players commencing a game has seen Member Associations (MA’s) such as Georgia, Thailand and Paraguay inaugurating similar FIFA Arena mini-pitches. The project is being rolled out globally with the goal of installing at least 1,000 new mini pitches by 2031.
In Africa, Niger is the third Africa country to benefit from the initiative after Algeria and recently, Liberia.
The FIFA Arena comes under the bigger FIFA Forward scheme launched in 2016, and seeks to fairly redistribute FIFA’s revenues to its 211 member associations. Dubbed the world’s largest sports development program, it is in line with FIFA’s plans to invest a record USD 5 billion in football by the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, construction of FENIFOOT’s new headquarters, funded by the FIFA Forward program, is progressing steadily as the six-storey facility will offer a professional and structured environment for football development in the country.
“The FIFA Forward program is tangibly transforming football in all FIFA member countries. In Niger, the new FENIFOOT headquarters and mini pitches in Niamey illustrate FIFA’s commitment to making football truly global, inclusive, and sustainable by investing in infrastructure that strengthen the football landscape,” highlighted Gelson Fernandes, Deputy FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer and Regional Director for Africa.
The state-of-the-art building aligns with FENIFOOT’s strategy to improve infrastructure, enhance working conditions for staff and regional league personnel, and expand accommodation capacity at the technical centre. With a total cost of nearly USD 4.2 million, the project is fully funded by FIFA Forward and will take at least 12 months to complete.
