At 17:00 on 28 September 2026, the UAE summer registration window shut, Al Bayan reported. Clubs could still register free agents for another 21 days. Ordinary recruitment is paused until the winter window opens in early 2027. The clock ran out.
Al Bayan said clubs would review the opening five rounds and start preparing for the winter market. The transfer period began on 13 July 2026. Clubs used permanent deals, loans and free transfers to strengthen their squads.
The registration period that began on 13 July covered not only the UAE Pro League, but also U23 competitions, lower divisions and U19/U21 football.
Sharjah and Al Jazira make the boldest attacking moves
Sharjah signed Togo striker Laba Kodjo for two seasons after his contract with Al Ain expired. The club also brought in Yahya Al Ghassani on loan from Shabab Al Ahli until the end of the season.
Shabab Al Ahli signed goalkeeper Khalid Al Senani from Al Wasl on a free transfer. Juan Bezerra arrived from Egyptian club Zamalek, and Belgian defender Wout Faes joined from Leicester City. Leicester City confirmed Faes's permanent departure to Shabab Al Ahli on its official site. The move remains subject to international clearance.
Al Jazira made four additions. Robin Canedo arrived from Al Wahda on a three-year deal, while Malcolm Oliveira joined from Saudi side Al Hilal. Cristian Asllani came on loan from Inter Milan for one season. Anderson Talisca completed the group, joining on a free transfer from Fenerbahçe.
By late September, ESPN's public player records listed Kristjan Asllani as an Al Jazira player. Al Wasl also signed Iranian forward Mehdi Taremi from Olympiacos. The club added goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al Ameri from Al Jazira, Yahya Nader from Al Ain and Sasa Ilic from Al Wahda.
Orlando City B announced that forward Pedro Leão had transferred to Hatta FC. The move is another confirmed example of a UAE club adding a player during the summer registration period.
Market values add a second measure of squad strength
Transfers were not the only measure of club investment. The CIES Football Observatory's list of the UAE Pro League's ten most valuable players featured three players each from Al Ain and Shabab Al Ahli, and four from Al Jazira.
Al Ain's Abdoul Traoré led the domestic list at €11.6 million. Matías Palacios was valued at €7.7 million and Marcel Ratnik at €7.6 million. Al Jazira's players on the list were Asllani at €10 million, Oliveira at €7.7 million, Anthony Dennis at €5.9 million and Talisca at €5.3 million.
Shabab Al Ahli had three players on the list: Renan da Silva at €5 million, goalkeeper Hamad Al Meqbaali at €4.8 million and Mohammed Juma Al Mansoori at €4.6 million.
The league's wider regional role has also featured in Egyptian Super Cup coverage. That is a separate issue from the domestic transfer market.
Global valuations put the UAE market in context
The CIES Football Observatory's updated model covered 55 leagues outside Europe's top five. Porto's Victor Froholdt led the list at €83.7 million, followed by Benfica's Vangelis Pavlidis at €65 million and Al Hilal's Gabriel Martinelli at €63.6 million.
Other players in the leading group were Club Brugge's Nicolo Tresoldi at €61.4 million, Fenerbahçe's Mason Greenwood at €61 million, Palmeiras' José Manuel López at €53.9 million and Ajax's Jorthy Mokio at €53.4 million.
By position, Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa led goalkeepers at €49.3 million. Sporting Lisbon centre-back Gonçalo Inácio topped central defenders at €57 million. Benfica full-back Samuel Dahl led full-backs at €52.7 million.
The signings show where clubs chose to spend. The valuations offer a separate snapshot of the talent already on their books. They are not results. Sharjah, Al Jazira, Shabab Al Ahli and Al Wasl will be judged by what their reshaped squads do on the field before ordinary recruitment reopens in the 2027 winter window.
