Exclusive | ONE Championship signs MOU to bring live events to Qatar, with Doha on the cards for 2023
- Singapore-based martial arts organisation reaches agreement with Media City Qatar as part of its expansion into the Middle East
- ONE’s first Qatar event expected to be held in Doha and could happen as soon as this year, with plans to feature international and regional athletes
ONE Championship has agreed a deal to bring its live martial arts events to Qatar for the first time, the Post has learned.
The Singapore-based organisation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) this week with Media City Qatar (MCQ), as part of its expansion into the Middle East.
The MOU is an extension of a strategic partnership both parties entered into last year. MCQ describes itself as “a global media hub and incubator for companies, innovators, entrepreneurs and creative talent”.
ONE’s first Qatar event is expected to be held in Doha and could happen as soon as this year, with plans to feature both international and regional athletes.
“The specific timing is something we’re still working on for now. We want to focus on making sure that first event is successful,” ONE’s co-founder and group president Hua Fung Teh, who was in Doha this week for the signing of the MOU, said.
“But I’m sure it won’t be the only one that happens in the next 12 to 18 months, and preparations are under way.”
ONE has also recently been making a push into the Middle East through a multi-year broadcast partnership with Qatar-owned multinational network beIN Sports.
Several episodes of the coming season two of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition were also shot in Doha earlier this year.
“The partnership with beiN Sports is going great. There are multiple things happening but we view Qatar as a launching pad for the Middle East,” Teh added.
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“It’s a really interesting market for us. It’s a young population, and digitally savvy. We’re doing a lot in Qatar, we have a lot of partners, but it’s a window for us into the Middle East market.
“It’s very close in time zone to Europe. So whatever we do in the Middle East is likely to have relevance for us in Europe as well. The physical events happening in that part of the world will be enjoyed in prime time by our European fans.
“So there’s a lot of interesting things that I think will happen in the next 12-18 months in that general part of the world.”
The signing of the MOU was also timed to coincide with Singapore President Halimah Yacob’s state visit to Qatar, Teh added.
“I spent a couple of days there,” he said. “I updated Madame President Yacob and her delegation, and they were all very excited.
“Qatar is almost like a home away from home now, the Qataris have been very warm and hospitable. They’ve been great to work with, the folks at Media City.
“We have a long relationship with Qatar, standing for over 2 years. I’ve been there so many times. The Qatar Investment Authority led the last round [of funding] into the company about 18 months ago.
“We’ve obviously built deeper and deeper networks in Qatar and that part of the world. It started with ‘The Apprentice’ in Doha, and now we’re gonna continue that expansion with live events.
“It’s great we have beIN Sports as a partner because everything we do in that part of the world, we’ll have a live broadcast in that time zone.”
“We are probably the only global sports property in the top five or top 10 in the world that have events that cater to two completely different time zones,” he said. “We have around 60 events a year, some catering to the Asian prime time audience, but our ONE Fight Nights cater to a US prime time audience.
“The numbered events, specific pay per view events … there is a whole range of event formats currently being discussed. Some of them are part of the 60 events, some will go beyond the 60.
“What is clear is we have fans all over the world and we want to be available to our fans during prime time, because that’s when most sport watching happens.
“But if you’re an athlete in this game and you desire a big international career there’s kind of two places you can go to – there’s us, and the UFC.”
