NEW YORK (November 6, 2025) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is bringing Africa’s biggest night in MMA to Cotonou, Benin this December 20 with the PFL Africa Finals, where the continent’s finest fighters will battle for glory and championship gold. The event will also be broadcasted across French-speaking Africa on CANAL+, bringing this historic showdown to audiences throughout the region.
In a historic evening, four PFL Africa Championship belts will be awarded across the Heavyweight, Welterweight, Featherweight, and Bantamweight divisions. Each division winner will claim a $100,000 grand prize, representing one of the highest payouts for professional athletes in sub-Saharan Africa, and earn the title of the inaugural PFL Africa Tournament Champion, securing a path into the PFL global ecosystem.
The Finals will be held at the iconic Sofitel Dome on December 20, as an intimate VIP broadcast event complemented by large-scale watch parties across the Cotonou region, ensuring fans from across the continent share in this historic night. The show will be broadcast to more than 100 countries, showcasing Benin’s culture, coastline, and hospitality to millions of viewers worldwide.
This landmark event represents a collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts through Benin Tourism, the Ministry of Sports, and the EYA Foundation which was founded by Lionel Talon. The visionary partnership is blending sport, culture, and social impact. The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts positions the Finals as a national showcase of Benin’s creativity, cultural excellence, and world-class hospitality. The Ministry of Sports underscores Benin’s growing commitment to youth, athletic development, and international sporting prestige. The EYA Foundation continues its mission of empowering Africa’s next generation through initiatives that unite sports, culture, and social advancement.
This collaboration cements Benin’s position as a pioneering destination for world-class sports entertainment and cultural innovation, embodying a forward-looking vision where sport serves as a driver of unity, pride, and economic growth.
This event goes beyond competition. Together with the EYA Foundation, PFL Africa will host community outreach programs and cultural showcases throughout fight week, ensuring the Finals leave a lasting social and cultural legacy. Through sport and solidarity, Benin and PFL are celebrating Africa’s strength, creativity, and unity on the global stage.
The 2025 PFL Africa Finals mark the culmination of a groundbreaking inaugural season, which began with historic events in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Kigali, before arriving in Benin for its grand finale. From the Maghreb to Southern Africa, now the very best will meet in Cotonou to write history inside the PFL Africa cage.
“The PFL Africa Finals in Benin mark a defining moment for the sport on the continent and for the Professional Fighters League globally,” said John Martin, CEO of the Professional Fighters League. “This event is more than a championship, it’s a celebration of Africa’s athletic excellence, cultural strength, and global influence. Together with our partners in Benin and the EYA Foundation, we’re building a platform that unites sport, community, and culture while showcasing Africa’s incredible talent and spirit to the world.”
Lionel Talon, Founder of EYA Foundation, stated: “At EYA we believe in the importance of providing the youth with role models they can relate to. People that look like them, people whose stories resonate with theirs, people who are from the same background they’re from. Listening to the stories of the PFL Africa athletes and being able to watch glimpses of their journeys — coming from their respective countries and utilizing the opportunity offered to them by the PFL — it was with great enthusiasm that EYA entered Into a partnership with the PFL and an honor to host the first PFL Africa finals in Benin. Indeed, we hope that this first event will allow us to plant the seeds of a strong partnership in order to further develop the sport of MMA in Benin and Africa in general. Our goal is to showcase models of young Africans who were able to transform their hardships into mentorship, their frustrations and anger into discipline, and their hopes for more into financial stability for themselves and their loved ones.”
Benoît Dato, Benin’s Minister of Sports, stated: “The Republic of Benin is honored to host the PFL Africa Finals, an event that highlights the growing strength of African sports and reflects our ambition to make it a source of pride and a driver of development.”
Sindé CHEKETE, CEO of Benin Tourism, stated: “With PFL Africa, we are building a bridge between sport, culture, and global influence. This championship strengthens Benin’s position as a new tourism destination for travelers seeking authenticity, energy, and unforgettable experiences. Benin is becoming the gateway for major international events in Africa, a place where innovation meets heritage, and where the world comes to feel something extraordinary.”
