Europe’s Football Agent Giants: CAA Stellar, Gestifute and Wasserman Dominate Market in Billion-Euro Era

The player representation landscape across Europe’s top five leagues is undergoing rapid consolidation, with a select group of agencies now holding unprecedented influence over the market. According to the latest CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post (Issue 509), just three agencies represent clients whose combined estimated transfer values exceed the €1 billion mark—highlighting the centralisation of power in modern football agency dynamics.

At the top of the list is CAA Stellar/Base, a powerhouse formed through the merger of several entities under the leadership of U.S.-based Creative Artists Agency. With an aggregate client value surpassing €2 billion, CAA has emerged as the undisputed market leader. The group's dominance reflects a wider trend in the football industry: the acquisition and integration of multiple influential agencies to form global super-agencies.

Also breaking the billion-euro barrier are Gestifute, the Portuguese agency founded by super-agent Jorge Mendes, and Wasserman Group, another U.S.-based conglomerate operating out of Los Angeles. Wasserman’s rise to the top has mirrored that of CAA—built on strategic acquisitions of smaller, high-impact agencies across Europe and other footballing regions.

While CAA and Wasserman each represent over 100 players across the big-five leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France), Gestifute has taken a different route—focusing on a select elite group of high-profile athletes. This contrast in approach showcases the varying strategies among top agencies: broad coverage versus elite specialisation.

The CIES report only considers agencies with at least two active players in Europe’s top leagues, excluding those representing only family members. This ensures that only professional, commercially active agencies are ranked.

The findings underscore a shifting reality in European football: power and influence are increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few global entities, with American agencies leading the charge. For clubs navigating the modern transfer market, these agencies are no longer just intermediaries—they are strategic partners shaping the careers of hundreds of Europe’s top talents.