African talent in high demand as January transfer window breaks records

African players were once again prominent in a January transfer window that delivered unprecedented activity across both men’s and women’s football, underlining the continent’s growing influence on the global market.

👕🔴⚪ Our president, Enrique Cerezo, gave Ademola Lookman his new Atleti shirt during the Nigerian international’s presentation at the Riyadh Air @Metropolitano pic.twitter.com/JcMjoKhsCO

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) February 3, 2026

The January 2026 window witnessed a surge in international moves, with clubs around the world actively recruiting talent from Africa, particularly to leagues in Europe, Asia and the Americas. This came as overall transfer activity in men’s professional football reached an all-time high, even though total spending dipped slightly compared to the previous year.

According to FIFA’s January Transfer Snapshot 2026, more than 5,900 international transfers were completed in men’s professional football — the highest number ever recorded for a January window and a rise of just over three percent from the previous record set in 2025.

African players featured heavily in these moves, continuing a trend where clubs increasingly look to the continent for value, athleticism and long-term potential.

Despite the record number of transfers, spending in the men’s game stood at over $1.9 billion, representing an 18 percent decrease from January 2025. However, this figure still remained more than 20 percent higher than the amount spent in January 2023, highlighting sustained investment levels.

↔️January 2026 transfer window sees very strong activity in both men’s and women’s football

⚽️More than 5,900 transfers and over USD 1.9 billion spent by clubs in men’s professional football
⚽️New record in women’s game: more than USD 10 million spent on transfer fees,… pic.twitter.com/4U8nwwt018

— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) February 5, 2026

Several African-origin transfers contributed significantly to these totals, particularly involving players moving from African leagues to Europe and South America, as well as intra-European moves of established African internationals.

The women’s game also marked a historic milestone. For the first time, international transfer spending surpassed $10 million, an increase of more than 85 percent compared to the previous record set in January 2025.

Although the total number of international transfers fell slightly to just over 420, African women footballers continued to attract interest, especially from clubs seeking to strengthen squads ahead of continental and global competitions.

English clubs emerged as the biggest spenders in both men’s and women’s football, once again serving as a major destination for African talent.

In the men’s game, English clubs spent more than $360 million on transfer fees, ahead of Italy, Brazil, Germany and France. French clubs, meanwhile, topped the list of receiving nations, collecting over $215 million in transfer fees, with Italy, Brazil, England and Spain following closely.

In terms of volume, Brazil recorded the highest number of incoming transfers, while Argentina led for outgoing moves. African players were well represented across these flows, reflecting the continent’s continued role as a key supplier of footballing talent to the global game.

Overall, the January transfer window in 2026 not only broke records but further cemented Africa’s growing footprint in the international transfer market, with players from the continent remaining central to clubs’ recruitment strategies worldwide.