The State Department and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) reached a memorandum of understanding on June 11.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UFC president and CEO Dana White signed the MOU at the State Department ahead of the UFC event at the White House on June 14.

The partnership will “advance sports diplomacy initiatives and develop educational programming related to mixed martial arts,” according to a statement from the department.

The State Department said that “recognizing sports as a powerful tool of diplomacy, the partnership leverages UFC’s global platform to engage key audiences, enhance cultural exchange programs through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and promote values such as discipline, perseverance, sportsmanship, and excellence.”

UFC athletes and coaches will serve as sports ambassadors through the department’s Sports Envoy Program, leading training clinics and mentorship opportunities for young athletes worldwide.

Through this collaboration, UFC will work alongside other leading American sports organizations and private-sector partners to support the department’s sports diplomacy and public engagement initiatives throughout the Decade of Sport in America, a period where the United States is hosting major sporting events such as this year’s World Cup, the 2028 Summer Olympics, and the 2034 Winter Olympics.

At an event ahead of the signing, Rubio called UFC “one of the most recognizable American sports brands on the planet” and reflective of the American spirit.

“It truly is the United Nations of fighting,” he added, citing the numerous UFC fighters from multiple countries.

The signing of the MOU occurred three days ahead of the UFC event to take place at the White House in honor of the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. It will consist of two matches. The occasion coincides with Flag Day, a little-observed holiday celebrating the adoption of the stars and stripes, and Trump’s 80th birthday.

Trump has called the UFC fights “the greatest show on Earth” and compared the UFC’s “Claw” arena soaring over the White House’s South Lawn to Paris’s Eiffel Tower.

The MOU between the State Department and UFC is not the first agreement between the department and a sports organization.

In January, the department and the NFL signed an agreement to establish a public-private partnership to advance the department’s sports diplomacy efforts.

Under the agreement, the two organizations collaborate on major sporting events, including international NFL games, the Super Bowl, and the debut of flag football at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, according to the department.

The memorandum was signed by the league and Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers.

The NFL said it will continue putting on football events, clinics, and training sessions overseas and, where possible, provide access to players, coaches, and program materials in priority global markets.

Reuters contributed to this report.