The most expensive transfers in women's football history - listed

 

In just five years, the world record transfer fee has surged by over 400%, reaching a historic £1 million in July 2025. From £1,875 in 2001 to today’s seven-figure deals, the growth is undeniable. Here’s a timeline of every record-breaking transfer and how the market has evolved.

2001 Maider Castillo & Mar Prieto Torrejón Levante £1,875 (joint deal) The first-ever reported women’s world transfer fee

2002 Milene Domingues Fiammamonza Rayo Vallecano £200,000 Brazilian flair meets record money. Domingues (ex-wife of Ronaldo Nazário) held the record for 18 years, an eternity in transfer history.

2020 Pernille Harder VfL Wolfsburg Chelsea £250,000 Chelsea smashed the long-standing record to sign one of the world’s best forwards.

2022 Keira Walsh Manchester City Barcelona £400,000 A midfield maestro joins Barça post-Euros win.

2024 Racheal Kundananji Madrid CFF Bay FC £685,000 Zambia’s rising star joins the NWSL in a record African transfer.

2025 Naomi Girma San Diego Wave Chelsea £883,000 One of the best defenders in the game joins Chelsea for a fee close to £1 million.

2025 Olivia Smith Liverpool Arsenal £1,000,000 The first woman to hit the £1M mark.

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