Fighters League, Canal+ ink African deal


By Content Nigeria reporter
July 26, 2024

News

The US-based Professional Fighters League (PFL) has entered into a multi-year media rights agreement with French pay TV group Canal+ to expand its presence in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa.

Jacques du Puy

This deal, which also covers Myanmar and Haiti, will enable Canal+ to broadcast several top sports competitions, providing live localised programming across all PFL Global, PFL Europe, PFL MENA, Bellator Champions Series, PFL Super Fights and selected PFL and Bellator archives.

It will also see the launch of new MMA league PFL Africa in 2025, with the league set to benefit from exposure on Canal+ Sport channels in sub-Saharan Africa. Canal+ will broadcast PFL action live with French commentary on linear channels, reaching nearly eight million homes, the company said.

James Frewin, PFL’s MD of international, said: “The Professional Fighters League could not be more excited to partner with Canal+, bringing our brand to French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa.

“The PFL believes strongly in connecting with MMA fans in areas that have been traditionally underserved in the sport and doing so in their native languages. Canal+ is the sports media brand that lives in the hearts and minds of the French-speaking population in sub-Saharan Africa and is synonymous with premium sport.”

Jacques du Puy, CEO of Canal+ International, added: “We are proud to bring PFL to our African subscribers. Fighting competitions, and MMA leagues in particular, attract ever larger audiences of fans among African audiences. We are all the more thrilled to partner with a dedicated PFL franchise in Africa and broadcast top fights with stars such as Francis Ngannou or Cedric Doumbe. This perfectly fits our strategy of promoting African sport on the continent and beyond.”

The PFL is available on ESPN/ESPN+ in the US and DAZN in Canada and Europe, and is broadcast and streamed in 160 countries through 20 media distribution partners.

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