FIFA: Argentina third globally for most transfer moves | OneFootball

Argentinian football reaffirmed its relevance on the world stage by consolidating itself as the third country with the most activity during the January 2026 transfer window. According to the recent FIFA report, Argentina was only surpassed in terms of transfer volume by Brazil and Spain. This period marked a historic milestone for professional men’s football, reaching an all-time record of more than 5,900 international transfers, representing a 3% increase compared to the beginning of 2025.

In economic and operational terms, the global market moved a figure exceeding 1.9 billion dollars. Argentina stood out particularly in terms of outgoing transfers, leading the world ranking as the country that transferred the most footballers abroad. In total, the local league recorded 237 arrivals and 228 departures, generating an economic flow of 19.9 million dollars, surpassing powerhouses such as England, Portugal, and France in transaction volume.

The FIFA analysis also reveals insightful data about the nature of these operations. 59% of the movements involved players who were free agents, while loans accounted for 24% and permanent transfers made up just 17% of the total. These figures highlight a global trend where clubs prioritize signing players without existing contracts or through temporary loans to mitigate financial risks.

Finally, the report emphasizes the generational factor in the market. The average age of footballers changing clubs was between 24 and 25 years old. However, there are marked contrasts depending on the region: while Nigeria stands out as the youngest exporter of talent with an average age of 22, other markets like Indonesia favor experience, with an average age close to 30. Argentina, for its part, remains competitive thanks to its massive export capacity, surpassing countries such as the United States and Brazil in the total number of players transferred.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.