When Does the 2026 January Transfer Window Open and Close?

Major sagas are already developing in time for the January transfer window.

The noise around Mohamed Salah won’t die down until the January window closes. / Oli SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images

The January transfer window is on the horizon, with teams around the globe given the chance to bolster and streamline their squads for the second half of the 2025–26 season.

Typically, business is harder to conduct during the mid-season window, with the bulk of the big deals saved for the summer. In general, clubs are less keen to part ways with prized assets, and those in need to reinforcements tend to focus upon the “market opportunities” that the contemporary manager likes to highlight in front of reporters.

However, there’s still scope for some season-defining deals to take place this January. In 2025, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s switch from Napoli to Paris Saint-Germain ranked among the key factors in the Parisians’ eventual Champions League triumph, and we’ve previously seen some of the sport’s most expensive transfers play out in the winter.

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And the stars are aligning for sagas aplenty at the start of 2026.

Here’s everything you need to know about when the 2026 January transfer window opens and closes.

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When Does the January Transfer Window Open in Europe?

Kobbie Mainoo’s future will be one of the major talking points this winter. / Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

A gluttonous winter may beckon around Europe, but it’s in the Premier League where much of the spending will likely take place. The 20 clubs combined for a record £3 billion ($4 billion) splurge in the summer, more than Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga combined.

The English top flight will get a day’s head start on some of the other divisions this winter, with the Premier League’s window opening on Jan. 1. The Bundesliga and Ligue 1 are also open for business on the first day of the month, while the winter windows of clubs competing in Serie A and La Liga begin on Jan. 2.

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When Does the January Transfer Window Close?

Typically, the January window would close on the final day of the month (31st), but as that date falls on a Saturday this year, the deadline across Europe’s top-five leagues will instead arrive on Monday, Feb. 2.

In England, Italy, Germany and France, the window closes at 7 p.m. GMT / 2 p.m. ET, but the Spanish January window slams shut at 10.59 p.m. GMT / 5.59 p.m. ET.

Around the world, the Saudi Pro League is expected to once again play a leading role in transfer season, with the PIF-owned clubs licking their lips at the events currently unfolding on Merseyside regarding Mohamed Salah. Their window opens a little bit later on Jan. 5, but closes on Feb. 2.

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Transfer Window Dates by League

Here’s a breakdown of when the January transfer window opens and closes across Europe’s major divisions, as well as some notable leagues around the world. Compared to the summer window, there’s typically less variation in terms of dates:

League	Open Date	Close Date	Time (GMT / ET)
Premier League	January 1	February 2	7 p.m / 2 p.m
Bundesliga	January 1	February 2	7 p.m / 2 p.m
Ligue 1	January 1	February 2	7 p.m / 2 p.m
Eredivisie	January 1	February 2	TBC
Liga MX	January 1	February 9	TBC
Serie A	January 2	February 2	7 p.m / 2 p.m
La Liga	January 2	February 2	10.59 p.m / 5.59 p.m.
Primeira Liga	January 2	February 3	TBC
Saudi Pro League	January 5	February 2	TBC
MLS	TBC	TBC	TBC

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