The Professional Fighters League (PFL) and Afro Nation, the world’s premier Afrobeats festival brand, today announced a multi-year strategic partnership that unites elite mixed martial arts with one of Africa’s most powerful cultural platforms.
This first-of-its-kind alliance is designed to showcase the strength, pride, and creativity of African youth through the intersection of sport, music, and lifestyle. Building on this momentum, the PFL Africa Semifinal in Rwanda will feature live performances by Bruce Melody and DJ Niny, continuing the celebration of Africa’s rich cultural and musical heritage alongside world-class MMA action.
The collaboration began with full-scale entertainment integrations, led by Afro Nation United, at PFL Africa’s first two events in Cape Town on July 19 and Johannesburg on August 9, culminating with the PFL Africa Finals this December. These events will feature live performances by top local and international artists, immersive fan experiences, and curated after-parties that bring the Afro Nation energy directly into the PFL arena.
Beyond South Africa, the partnership extends across Afro Nation’s global footprint. PFL Africa will appear at Afro Nation festivals in Portugal, London, Tenerife, and more, engaging audiences through branded digital content, fighter storytelling, and live exhibitions. At the same time, both organizations will collaborate on joint media, sponsorship opportunities, and athlete development programs that elevate talent across industries and borders.
“This is about more than the fight or the festival, it’s about culture, identity, and global visibility,” said Elias Schulze, General Manager of PFL Africa. “Afro Nation has built a global platform for African music. PFL Africa is building one for African sport. Together, we’re creating something truly transformative.”
Afro Nation CEO Obi Askia comments “We have witnessed first-hand the joy our music experiences bring to audiences around the world and are excited to partner with PFL. Whether it be across music, sport, fashion or culture, our mission is to champion the very best of our continent. This partnership is just the beginning of an ambitious program designed to spotlight and celebrate African excellence on a global stage”.
“As an investor in both PFL and Afro Nation, I believe this partnership represents the future of African entertainment,” said Tope Lawani, Co-Founder of Helios Investment Partners. “It’s scalable, sustainable, and driven by the power of Africa’s youth culture.”
This marks the first time a professional MMA league has partnered with an international music festival brand, an unprecedented crossover that redefines how sport and entertainment are delivered across Africa. PFL Africa, backed by Helios Sports & Entertainment, launched in 2025 with a four-event season featuring 32 athletes from 14 African nations. With distribution partnerships through Canal+ and SuperSport, the league now reaches over 90% of African households.
The Afro Nation collaboration further expands that reach, connecting with a global fanbase of cultural tastemakers, diaspora communities, and passionate supporters of African music and sport. Together, the two brands will co-create new experiences, content formats, and commercial platforms that celebrate African excellence, build long-term value, and strengthen connections between Africa and its global audience.
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global powerhouse in MMA and the fastest-growing sports league world-wide. PFL is the only MMA organization with the “win and advance” tournament format. PFL has three fight products: PFL World Tournament, PFL Champions Series, and PFL International Leagues. PFL is broadcast and streamed live to 190 countries with 20 leading media partners.
PFL is backed by major blue-chip investors including SURJ, Ares, 885 Capital, Knighthead, Luxor Capital, Waverley Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. MMA is the growth and global sport business of this decade, with 650 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demographic, and true global revenue streams.
Afro Nation is the world’s largest celebration of African music and culture. Since launching in 2019, Afro Nation has played a part in global stars like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido reaching headline status on major mainstream festival line-ups around the world. Afro Nation transcends borders, uniting the diaspora in a global celebration of dance, food, fashion, music and enjoyment.
More than just a festival, Afro Nation’s influence reaches far and wide, with successful editions launched not only in Europe, but also in America, the Caribbean and Africa, with more expansions on the horizon. Afro Nation Portugal welcomes over 40,000 attendees that travel in from over 180 countries worldwide.
Following the fifth anniversary edition in Portugal this July, Afro Nation has announced a brand-new show in the Dominican Republic between 7-9th November 2025 and will return to the beach in Portimao between 3-5th July 2026.
