Major recognition for FNC: Matej Filipčić selected for prestigious U.S. State Department program

Filipčić was nominated for the program by the U.S. Embassy in Croatia, giving his selection particular professional significance.

The IVLP is not a traditional program to which candidates apply independently. Participants are identified and nominated by U.S. embassies around the world, and the program brings together current and emerging leaders from various professional fields with the aim of connecting them with American counterparts, institutions, and organizations.

For Filipčić, the nomination represents significant international professional recognition, while for FNC it opens an opportunity for direct exchange of experience with one of the world’s most developed combat sports markets.

American Excellence in Combat Sports

The program in which Filipčić will participate is titled American Excellence in Combat Sports and aims to connect combat sports professionals with their American counterparts to exchange knowledge, experience, best practices, and ideas that can contribute to the global development of combat sports.

The program covers four U.S. cities – Washington, D.C., Miami, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles – each representing a different part of the American sports, business, and media ecosystem.

Washington offers an institutional perspective on sports and international cooperation, Miami represents a unique intersection of the U.S. and Latin American markets and audiences, while Las Vegas is one of the world’s most important hubs for professional combat sports. Los Angeles adds another important dimension through the connection between sports, media, the film industry, digital content, and entertainment.

Throughout the program, the focus will be on exchanging experience related to the development and promotion of combat sports, sports marketing, athlete development, event organization, media and broadcasting, digital content, sponsorships, audience engagement, sports management, and international cooperation.

An important step for FNC’s development

Filipčić’s participation is particularly relevant to Fight Nation Championship given his role as Marketing Director and the fact that the program is directly focused on the combat sports industry.

In recent years, FNC has expanded across several European markets and, alongside organizing major MMA events, has continued to develop its own media, digital, and commercial ecosystem.

The U.S. program therefore represents an opportunity to explore different models for developing combat sports organizations – from marketing and building fighter brands to event production, digital content, PPV and streaming, sponsorship activations, merchandise sales, audience development, and international expansion.

At the same time, the exchange is not intended solely as an opportunity to learn about the American model. Filipčić will also have the opportunity to present FNC’s experience and the perspective of a European MMA organization operating across multiple markets, as well as the way combat sports are developing in Croatia and the wider region.

From an MMA promotion to a sports and entertainment brand

One area of particular interest to FNC will be understanding how the U.S. combat sports industry has evolved far beyond simply organizing fights.

Today, the world’s largest combat sports organizations operate simultaneously across sports, media, entertainment, digital content, athlete personal branding, merchandise, and the live fan experience.

One of the key questions for FNC during the U.S. program will therefore be how the experience and best practices of the developed American market can be adapted to the European environment – without losing the identity and understanding of its audience that have helped FNC build its position.

Bringing the knowledge back to FNC

Following the program, the plan is to bring the experience, new insights, and relevant professional contacts back to FNC and share them with management and the teams responsible for marketing, creative, content, commercial activities, and the sporting side of the organization.

The goal is not only to analyse how the U.S. market operates, but also to identify concrete ideas and models that FNC can apply in its continued development.

Matej Filipčić’s participation in the American Excellence in Combat Sports program therefore represents both significant individual professional recognition and an opportunity to further connect FNC with the global combat sports industry.