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Qatar Investment Authority Joins $50 Million Funding Round for ONE Championship Parent Company



Group One Holdings, the parent company of combat sports promotion ONE Championship, has secured at least $50 million in new funding from investors, including the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), according to a report from Bloomberg. This latest investment round values the Singapore-based company at approximately $1.35 billion, maintaining a similar valuation to its 2021 fundraising round, which was also led by QIA alongside US-based firm Guggenheim Investments.


The fresh capital injection comes as ONE Championship positions itself for global expansion and profitability. Hua Fung Teh, co-founder and president of Group One, indicated that after a decade of building its brand, roster of world-class athletes, and international broadcast partnerships, the company is “on the verge of profitability.” This milestone comes at a critical juncture for ONE, which has been eyeing an initial public offering (IPO) in the US, although the timing of such a move remains dependent on favorable market conditions.


ONE Championship's main competitors in the mixed martial arts (MMA) world, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and the Professional Fighters League (PFL), also have financial ties to the Middle East. UFC recently partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season for UFC 306 in Las Vegas and maintains a ten-year deal to stage World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) events in the kingdom. The PFL, in turn, secured significant backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) through SURJ Sports Investment, with more than $100 million reportedly earmarked for its global expansion efforts.


ONE Championship, however, already has deep connections to Qatar through a media rights deal with state-owned broadcaster BeIN Sports, covering the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This latest funding round, bolstered by QIA’s participation, reinforces ONE’s push for a more global presence, further complemented by broadcast agreements with major platforms such as Amazon in the US and Canada, Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, and Seven in Australia.


As the competition among MMA promotions heats up, the backing from QIA signals a significant vote of confidence in ONE Championship’s future and its potential to challenge industry giants like the UFC on the global stage.

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