SportyTV, the African sports broadcaster owned by Sporty Group, has secured free-to-air (FTA) rights to the Professional Fighters League (PFL), the international mixed martial arts promotion, in a wide-ranging media deal.
The deal builds on SportyTV’s previous rights deal with PFL, struck in 2023, which saw the broadcaster showcase three events FTA in Nigeria and Ghana.
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Under the new agreement, SportyTV will air PFL content across Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa, including the PFL World Tournament and PFL Champions Series, as well as international leagues PFL Africa, PFL Europe, and PFL MENA, with all programming simulcast on the broadcaster’s app and official YouTube channels.
The Sporty.com website will cover the competition’s news and results, while Sporty Studios will produce “special shows … to tell the PFL stories that inspire … live from Africa.”
As part of the deal, Sporty Group’s pan-African betting company SportBet becomes PFL Africa’s official betting sponsor, with SportyBet gaining visibility across live events, broadcast integrations, and digital channels.
Elias Schulze, general manager of PFL Africa, said: “This is more than a sponsorship or distribution announcement, it’s a strategic alliance between two organizations with a shared vision for unlocking the massive potential of MMA across Africa.
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By GlobalData“Sporty Group has a proven track record of digital innovation, mass-market reach, and fan engagement across the continent. Together, we’re building the future of African MMA.”
The deal also comes ahead of PFL Africa’s launch tomorrow (July 19) – the promotion's third regional league.
PFL Africa kicks off with PFL Cape Town, an event headlined by five bouts from the promotion’s elite PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai competition, which is focused on bringing PFL to new markets.
This first PFL Africa event will pre-empt a season-long series across the second part of 2025, with host events across the continent and pay-TV giant Canal Plus serving as French-language broadcast rightsholder internationally, while Supersport, another major pay-TV operator, will cover the non-French-speaking markets.
The PFL Africa season will feature 32 fighters representing 15 African nations across four divisions, competing for regional titles and advancement into PFL’s global ecosystem.
PFL Africa was first announced in July 2024 in collaboration with high-profile Cameroonian MMA heavyweight Francis Ngannou, who will serve as chair and minority owner, and Africa-focused private equity investment fund Helios Sports & Entertainment, which is a stakeholder of the venture.
