With an unusually high number of elite-level players out of contract in 2026 it promises to be an intriguing January
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ransfer fees in women’s football have been rising at a rate of inflation that would cause anguish at the Bank of England. Last January alone, $5.8m (£4.3m) was spent in the women’s game globally and then a record $12.3m (£9.1m) was splashed in the 2025 summer transfer window, which was nearly twice as much as 12 months earlier and a four-fold increase on 2023. What can January 2026 possibly have in store?
The upcoming winter window – which opens for English women’s clubs on 2 January and closes on 3 February – has already got off to a blockbuster start even before officially opening. The Germany striker Lea Schüller and Norway’s attacking midfielder Signe Gaupset are among those to have already signed for Women’s Super League clubs, but this is set to be a unique window for a different reason than merely the usual clamour for reinforcements.
Rarely have so many of the world’s most influential players been about to enter the final six months of their contracts. Whether it be this season’s leading WSL goalscorer Khadija Shaw, Chelsea’s Sam Kerr and Catarina Macario, or a whole host of Barcelona’s regular starters, everywhere you look this winter there are players of huge value whose futures appear uncertain. That should make for a wholly unpredictable and potentially volatile window.
