UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Total Global Payments Shareholders’ Equity	Number of Shares	Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Noncontrolling Interests
Balance at beginning of period (shares) at Dec. 31, 2020			298,332,000
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 27,487,044	$ 27,332,370		$ 24,963,769	$ 2,570,874	$ (202,273)	$ 154,674
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	465,223	460,271			460,271		4,952
Other comprehensive income (loss)	26,317	29,566				29,566	(3,249)
Stock issued under share-based compensation plans (shares)			1,081,000
Stock issued under share-based compensation plans	29,304	29,304		29,304
Common stock repurchased - share-based compensation plans (shares)			(253,000)
Common stock repurchased - share-based compensation plans	(50,429)	(50,429)		(50,429)
Share-based compensation expense	$ 80,490	80,490		80,490
Repurchase of common stock (shares)	(5,456,949)		(5,457,000)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (1,072,934)	(1,072,934)		(821,371)	(251,563)
Cash dividends declared	(114,875)	(114,875)			(114,875)
Balance at end of period (shares) at Jun. 30, 2021			293,703,000
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2021	26,850,140	26,693,763		24,201,763	2,664,707	(172,707)	156,377
Balance at beginning of period (shares) at Mar. 31, 2021			295,158,000
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2021	26,842,191	26,691,762		24,403,323	2,500,812	(212,373)	150,429
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	266,813	263,590			263,590		3,223
Other comprehensive income (loss)	42,391	39,666				39,666	2,725
Stock issued under share-based compensation plans (shares)			78,000
Stock issued under share-based compensation plans	11,599	11,599		11,599
Common stock repurchased - share-based compensation plans (shares)			(31,000)
Common stock repurchased - share-based compensation plans	(8,900)	(8,900)		(8,900)
Share-based compensation expense	$ 43,325	43,325		43,325
Repurchase of common stock (shares)	(1,501,549)		(1,502,000)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (289,977)	(289,977)		(247,584)	(42,393)
Cash dividends declared	(57,302)	(57,302)			(57,302)
Balance at end of period (shares) at Jun. 30, 2021			293,703,000
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2021	26,850,140	26,693,763		24,201,763	2,664,707	(172,707)	156,377
Balance at beginning of period (shares) at Dec. 31, 2021			284,750,000
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2021	25,869,417	25,628,201		22,880,261	2,982,122	(234,182)	241,216
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	(415,415)	(428,266)			(428,266)		12,851
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(155,828)	(136,996)				(136,996)	(18,832)
Stock issued under share-based compensation plans (shares)			1,518,000
Stock issued under share-based compensation plans	23,619	23,619		23,619
Common stock repurchased - share-based compensation plans (shares)			(196,000)
Common stock repurchased - share-based compensation plans	(27,008)	(27,008)		(27,008)
Share-based compensation expense	$ 85,414	85,414		85,414
Repurchase of common stock (shares)	(9,039,189)		(9,039,000)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (1,249,994)	(1,249,994)		(1,161,712)	(88,282)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(14,363)	0					(14,363)
Cash dividends declared	(139,315)	(139,315)			(139,315)
Balance at end of period (shares) at Jun. 30, 2022			277,033,000
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2022	23,976,527	23,755,655		21,800,574	2,326,259	(371,178)	220,872
Balance at beginning of period (shares) at Mar. 31, 2022			281,434,000
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2022	25,394,805	25,159,564		22,338,086	3,068,683	(247,205)	235,241
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	(665,051)	(672,999)			(672,999)		7,948
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(137,461)	(123,973)				(123,973)	(13,488)
Stock issued under share-based compensation plans (shares)			125,000
Stock issued under share-based compensation plans	15,680	15,680		15,680
Common stock repurchased - share-based compensation plans (shares)			(2,000)
Common stock repurchased - share-based compensation plans	(220)	(220)		(220)
Share-based compensation expense	$ 47,014	47,014		47,014
Repurchase of common stock (shares)	(4,523,563)		(4,524,000)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (600,338)	(600,338)		(599,986)	(352)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(8,829)	0					(8,829)
Cash dividends declared	(69,073)	(69,073)			(69,073)
Balance at end of period (shares) at Jun. 30, 2022			277,033,000
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2022	$ 23,976,527	$ 23,755,655		$ 21,800,574	$ 2,326,259	$ (371,178)	$ 220,872