PFL Reveals Ambitious Plans for 2026: Global Expansion and New Formats
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has unveiled its plans for the year 2026, marking a significant expansion in its event calendar and competitive structure. The announcement, made on Tuesday, details an ambitious program of 24 events, designed to consolidate the promotion’s global presence.
The 2026 calendar will include 16 global events, complemented by eight regional events. The latter will be held in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and Africa series, underscoring the PFL’s commitment to expansion in key markets.
The PFL’s first main event in 2026 will be a stellar showdown that will see Usman Nurmagomedov defend his lightweight title. His opponent will be Alfie Davis (20-5-1). This fight will take place on February 7th at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
In addition to Dubai, the PFL has events scheduled in March in Madrid and Pittsburgh, and in April in Chicago. The event in Madrid will represent the promotion’s first foray into Spain.
Founded in 2017, the PFL has experienced notable changes in its leadership in recent months. John Martin, former executive of Turner and Time Warner, was appointed CEO in July, and Lenny Daniels, former president of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, assumed the role of chief operating officer this week.
Traditionally, promotion had been structured around a regular season and a playoff format. However, in 2025, this format was replaced by a single-elimination tournament. Martin has decided to move away entirely from the tournament model, favoring a more traditional approach in the scheduling of MMA fights.
The PFL has a national broadcast agreement with ESPN that expires at the end of 2026.
