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PFL to Debut with African Fighters League Tournament on July 26 in Cape Town
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is set to debut in the continent with a historic PFL Africa scheduled for Saturday, July 26 at GrandWest Arena in Cape Town, South Africa.
PFL Africa, under the watch of Cameroon’s global Mixed Martial Art (MMA) legend, Francis Ngannou as Chairman, is wired to develop the next generation of African champions and shape the league’s long-term growth.
An official statement issued yesterday by PFL stressed that the launch of PFL Africa, the organization’s third international league, “reflects our commitment to grow the sport of MMA throughout the continent as well as provide pathways for African fighters to compete on a global stage and become champions.”
The 2025 PFL Africa Tournament, is to begin with First Round matchups in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions. Each division will feature an eight-man bracket, with fighters advancing through semifinals and finals.
In addition, the event will be headlined by five PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai bouts. In the World Title main event, undefeated Middleweight World Champion Johnny Eblen (16-0) will meet Spain’s Costello van Steenis (16-3).
In the co-main event, undefeated 2024 PFL World Champion Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) will take on Hawaii’s Sumiko Inaba (8-1).
The PFL confirmed that additional Champions Series: Road to Dubai bouts will be announced shortly.
The launch of PFL Africa is bolstered by strategic distribution partnerships with Canal+, ensuring broad coverage across sub-Saharian Africa.
In addition, SuperSport is also a distributor, ensuring broad coverage across the region.
To further expand accessibility, PFL has introduced a mobile-first platform, distributed in partnership with CFM (Content For Mobile), exclusively via the region’s leading telcos, delivering affordable fight content directly to fans across Africa. With these combined efforts, PFL Africa immediately becomes one of the most accessible sports leagues on the continent, and is on track to reach over 90% of African households.
Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, known for its strategic investment in NBA Africa, joins as a key capital partner. Elias Schulze, a seasoned executive with nearly two decades of experience in strategy, finance, and operations across over 20 African markets, has been appointed General Manager of PFL Africa to oversee its launch and expansion.
The inaugural PFL Africa Tournament will feature eight-man brackets in each weight class, starting with the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions.
In the First Round of the Heavyweight bracket: Jashell Ticha Awa (3-1) of Cameroon faces Justin Clarke (2-0) of South Africa; Abdoullah Kane (3-0) of Senegal will meet Mohammad Ben Yahia (9-4) of Morocco.
In the Bantamweight bracket: Nkosi Ndebele (8-3) of South Africa will take on Mahmoud Atef (5-2) of Egypt while Simbarashe Hokonya (5-0) of Zimbabwe battles Abderrahman Errachidy (4-1) of Morocco
Peter Murray, CEO of the Professional Fighters League said: “With PFL Europe, PFL MENA and now PFL Africa launching, PFL’s international growth strategy and footprint is unmatched in the sport. This is all made possible by building a great team. I’m proud to partner Francis Ngannou and Helios Sports & Entertainment Group and excited to welcome Elias Schulze as GM of PFL Africa.”
“We are proud to partner the Professional Fighters League to help bring PFL Africa to life. This initiative aligns with Helios’ mission to back high-growth, high-impact ventures across the continent. With the leadership of Francis Ngannou and a strong local foundation, PFL Africa has the potential to become a transformative platform for African athletes, fans, and the broader sports ecosystem,” said the Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Helios Investment Partners.
