A record transfer window for women’s football, increasingly expensive

FIFA has published its report on summer transfers for 2024, which notably shows a large increase in spending among women’s football clubs.

The women’s market continues to structure itself. On Tuesday, September 3, FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) shared its International Transfer Snapshot, an analysis of the football transfer market, which reveals ever-increasing spending by women’s football clubs.

In 2024, women’s football clubs spent $6.8 million (€6.16 million) in the summer of 2024 (1 June-2 September) to acquire players, more than double the amount spent in the main 2023 transfer window ($3.02 million, €2.74 million). The number of players who moved clubs for a transfer fee also increased from 853 to 1,125 (+31.9%).

On average, clubs spent $71,400 (€64,694) per paid transfer, compared to $45,000 (€40,774) in 2023. Still in this idea of ​​progression, the share of transfers with compensation is now approaching 10% of total player movements (but the vast majority of international transfers remain players at the end of their contract who are joining a new club).

As with the men’s competition, England and its Premier League, the Women’s Super League, reign at the top of the ranking of the biggest spenders, with $2.33 million (€2.11 million) invested, followed by Spain ($1.35 million/€1.22 million) and the United States ($1.14 million/€1.03 million). France is in sixth place, with $344,000 (€311,692) spent, but dominates the sales table, with $1.1 million (€1 million) collected.

The year 2024 was marked by record transfers in the discipline, such as the arrival of Zambian international Barbra Banda at Orlando Pride for $740,000 (€670,499) in March, or that of Colombian Mayra Ramirez at Chelsea from Levante, for €450,000 (plus €50,000 in bonuses) in February.