The Professional Fighters League has postponed the PFL MENA 2026 season opener that was set for May 8 in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. The league announced the change on April 9 and said new event details will be shared soon.
Event postponed and ticket refunds
PFL MENA 9 was due to take place at the Dhahran Expo in Khobar on Friday, May 8. In its April 9 statement, the PFL said the card has been postponed while the league finalizes updated event plans for the 2026 PFL MENA season.
The league said all previously announced bouts will still take place as part of the season opener, but with a new date and location to be announced. All ticket holders will receive a full refund. The refunds will be processed within the next 30 days, according to the PFL.
The PFL also said it remains committed to growing mixed martial arts in the region and intends to return to Al Khobar later this year as part of the 2026 event calendar.
Why the change and regional context
The press release did not give a specific reason for the postponement. Media reports have suggested the move may be linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East, but the PFL did not confirm that in its statement.
For fans, that means the planned fights will likely move to the revised season opener once the league publishes the updated schedule. The PFL has said it will share the new date and location soon.
Recent champions and the regional MMA scene
Last season’s PFL MENA winners included several notable names across weight classes. They are listed below with their recent result in the PFL MENA tournaments.
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| Mohammad Alaqraa | Won welterweight tournament title |
| Salah Eddine Hamli | Won lightweight tournament title |
| Islam Reda | Won featherweight tournament title |
| Nawras Abzakh | Won bantamweight tournament title |
Outside the PFL, regional MMA activity continues. PFL Africa begins its second season on April 10 at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa.
The UFC also has plans in the region. The promotion is scheduled to hold UFC Baku on June 27 in Azerbaijan. The UFC has also been targeting Fight Night events in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. Since 2019 the UFC has staged an autumn pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi each year, except during the COVID era when it used “Fight Island.” The UFC has not announced any postponements to its regional plans.
The PFL says it will provide more details on the PFL MENA 2026 calendar soon. Fans with tickets for the May 8 card should look for refund notices from the league in the coming weeks.
