Saudi Arabia’s SRJ Sports Investments has acquired a minority stake in the Professional Fighters League (PFL), expanding the kingdom’s sports investment into mixed martial arts (MMA). The deal aims to nurture local and regional talent in martial arts, promote gender equality in sport, and bring new opportunities to Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region.
| Saudi Arabia’s SRJ Sports Investments has acquired a minority stake in the Professional Fighters League (PFL), expanding the kingdom’s sports investment into mixed martial arts (MMA).
| The deal aims to nurture local and regional talent in martial arts, promote gender equality in sport, and bring new opportunities to Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region.
| PFL will launch its MENA league next year and host other mega-events in Saudi Arabia.
| The value of the deal is reported to be $100 million.
| MMA’s popularity in Saudi Arabia has grown significantly in recent years, with the rise of fighters from the Middle East and the establishment of a national MMA foundation to support Saudi talent.
| PFL plans to expand globally, with the launch of PFL Europe in 2023 and the creation of six international regional leagues by 2026, including the first-ever "Champions League of MMA".
Saudi Arabia Expands Sports Investment into MMA
A new milestone has been reached in Saudi Arabia’s sports investment push as SRJ Sports Investments, a company formed by the country’s sovereign wealth fund, acquires a minority stake in the United States’ Professional Fighters League (PFL) . The acquisition marks the expansion of Saudi Arabia’s sports investment into mixed martial arts (MMA) and aims to nurture local and regional talent in martial arts, promote gender equality in sport, and bring new opportunities to Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region.
PFL, known for its fighter-first mission and disruptive sport-season format, will launch its MENA league next year and host other mega-events in Saudi Arabia. The value of the deal, reported to be $100 million, demonstrates the monumental growth that PFL has experienced worldwide.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has made sport a major component of the country’s efforts to rebrand as a global business and tourism destination. The kingdom has previously invested in golf, Formula One, and football, signing top footballers such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. However, these investments have also faced allegations of sportswashing, using sports to divert attention from Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
MMA’s popularity in Saudi Arabia has grown significantly in recent years, with the rise of fighters from the Middle East and the establishment of a national MMA foundation to support Saudi talent. The success of Saudi fighters Abdullah al-Qahtani and Mostafa Rashed Neda in high-profile bouts organised by PFL further demonstrates the sport’s increasing popularity. PFL plans to expand globally, with the launch of PFL Europe in 2023 and the creation of six international regional leagues by 2026, including the first-ever "Champions League of MMA".
