Football: FIFA annual survey reports record transfers globally

GENEVA: The International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) has revealed the 2022 Global Transfer Report, showing record transfers in the world in the past year.

A total of 71,002 transfers across borders, including 21,764 involving professionals for both men and women, were made in 2022, according to the annual report released on Wednesday.

In men's professional football, 20,209 international transfers were concluded last year, 11.6 per cent more than those in 2021 and even exceeding the levels of 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, FIFA said.

Emilio Garcia Silvero, FIFA's Chief Legal and Compliance officer, was quoted as saying in FIFA's statement, "The two-year negative trend in clubs' spending on transfer fees was turned around in 2022."

English clubs once again spent the most in the world, with a record spending of almost 2.2 billion U.S. dollars, while France made the most profit from transfers, receiving 740.3 million U.S. dollars from other associations.

Also for the first time, Portuguese clubs had the most incoming transfers, numbering 901, while Brazil released the most players (998) to other associations.