PFL Reveals Ambitious Plans for 2026: A Globalized Calendar
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has unveiled its plans for the year 2026, promising a season packed with action and global expansion. The calendar will include a total of 24 events, distributed between international and regional competitions.
The 2026 calendar structure will be divided into 16 global events and eight regional events, the latter focusing on the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and Africa series.
The official announcement was made on Tuesday, detailing the first events of the year. The season will begin in February with a stop in Dubai, followed by two events in March in Madrid and Pittsburgh, and one in April in Chicago.The image shows a PFL fight image. Fabian Edwards was the champion of this year’s Middleweight World Tournament.
The official fight pairings will be announced at a later date. The event in Madrid will mark the first time the PFL visits Spain.
Founded in 2017, the PFL has experienced significant changes in its leadership in recent months. In July, the company appointed John Martin, former executive of Turner and Time Warner, as its CEO. In addition, Lenny Daniels, former president of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, assumed the role of chief operating officer this week.
The promotion had historically been structured around a regular season and a playoff format. That format was replaced in 2025 by a single-elimination tournament. Martin has chosen to move away entirely from the tournament model, favoring a more traditional MMA fight schedule.
The PFL has a national broadcast agreement with ESPN that expires at the end of 2026.
