Promising “Nashama” Market: Growth in Recruitment and Financial Discipline

FIFA has revealed, in its regular report on international transfers for January 2026, striking figures that place Jordanian football among the most active and emerging markets in the Middle East.

The report, which tracks cross-border player movements, showed that Jordanian clubs have succeeded in striking a balance between strengthening their squads with financial flexibility and investing in exporting local talents abroad.

According to official FIFA data, Jordanian stadiums witnessed an influx of professional players during the last winter transfer window, with men’s clubs registering 26 incoming international transfers.

This figure represents a qualitative leap and a positive growth rate of 36.8% compared with the same period in 2025.

What is particularly notable in the Jordanian approach is what the report described as “zero direct spending” on transfer fees. Jordanian clubs recorded no expenses related to purchasing players’ contracts, reflecting growing administrative maturity in relying on free transfers and loan deals.This smart strategy allows clubs to strengthen their squads technically without burdening their budgets with heavy debts, especially in light of the financial challenges facing local clubs.

Exporting talent: revenues approaching the one-million-dollar mark

On the other side of the equation, the Jordanian player has proven to be an increasingly valuable asset in regional and international markets.

Although the number of outgoing players recorded a slight decline of 11.1% (with 16 players moving abroad), the market value of these deals posted encouraging figures.

Jordanian clubs generated USD 623,000 in transfer revenues from players moving overseas.

This figure clearly reflects growing confidence in Jordanian players, following the strong performances delivered by the national team and local clubs in continental competitions. As a result, Arab and international clubs have shown greater willingness to pay transfer fees to secure Jordanian talents.

Global context and women’s football

Jordan’s activity was not isolated from the global transfer market. The winter transfer window of 2026 recorded a worldwide record, with more than 5,900 international transfers in men’s football.

However, the biggest global surprise came in women’s football, which broke all previous records, with global spending exceeding USD 10 million, marking an impressive growth rate of 85%.

Given that Jordan is considered one of the pioneers of women’s football in the region, this global trend opens new horizons for Jordanian female players to pursue professional careers in major leagues that are now investing heavily in this sector, despite the fact that no Jordanian women’s transfer deals were completed during the last window.

An economic and sporting vision

These indicators confirm that Jordanian football is moving steadily toward transforming from merely a popular sport into an economic sector capable of generating income.

The rise in international recruitment helps raise the technical level of the Jordanian Professional League, while transfer revenues contribute vital liquidity to the development of youth academies.

Jordan’s success in securing a strong presence in FIFA’s official 2026 report as both an active destination and a talent-exporting market enhances the Kingdom’s standing on the international sporting map, and confirms that investing in local players and developing administrative structures remains the optimal path toward global competitiveness.