Summer transfer window 2026: When does it open and close? Does World Cup affect deals?

While the men’s World Cup is undoubtedly commanding the attention of football fans around the world, there is the small matter of the summer transfer window rumbling in the background.

It is the busiest time of the year for incomings and outgoings, and follows in the footsteps of last year’s record-breaking window . That saw £3.11billion ($4.17bn) spent by Premier League clubs and the British record broken by Liverpool ’s £125m acquisition of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United .

This year’s window could well be even more chaotic, with the world’s elite players negotiating the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico with their national teams, as well as potentially their club futures.

So, The Athletic has compiled all you need to know about this summer’s transfer window across Europe and beyond.

This year sees the return of a more conventional transfer period, after last year’s Club World Cup incited the introduction of a new window, which lasted from June 1-10, allowing clubs to facilitate moves prior to the tournament.

Some Premier League clubs have already got underway in their summer business, negotiating and even announcing deals — Tottenham have signed Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson on free transfers, while Brighton have welcomed in Zadok Yohanna . But the English summer transfer window officially opens on Monday, June 15.

This is in alignment with France ’s Ligue 1, but not the other major European leagues.

Germany and Spain see their transfer windows open on July 1, while in Italy , the business period opens on June 29.