A new FIFA report reveals that global football agent fees reached a record $912.4 million in 2025, led by massive spending from English clubs and a significant rise in commissions within the women’s game.
Professional football clubs spent a record-breaking $912.4 million on international agent fees in 2025, according to the latest FIFA Football Agents Report.
This figure marks an increase of nearly 30 percent from the previous year, surpassing the prior record of $888 million set in 2023.
The data highlights the increasing financial dominance of intermediaries in the global transfer market, even as football’s governing bodies attempt to introduce stricter spending caps.
English clubs remains the primary drivers of this expenditure, contributing more than $240 million to the global total.
The report notes that “the involvement of club agents in international transfers reached an all-time high,” appearing in nearly 20 percent of all deals.
While spending in the men’s game reached new heights, the women’s game also saw a significant jump, with agent commissions more than doubling as the professional landscape continues to expand.
The surge comes amid a protracted legal battle between FIFA and leading agencies over proposed commission limits.
Despite the “continued implementation of the FIFA Football Agent Regulations,” many high-profile transactions still saw fees exceeding 10 percent of the total transfer value.
Analysts suggest that until legal challenges are resolved in European courts, the trend of rising intermediary costs is likely to persist as clubs compete for top-tier talent.