F45 to open studios in Afghanistan and Iraq

Fitness franchise F45 has secured deals to open sites in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as in emerging markets in Africa – taking the number of countries in which it is active to more than 40.

Active in 19 countries in Asia and the Middle East, the Sydney-based franchisor operator will be active in eight countries in Africa with the addition of studios in Kenya and Mauritius.

In Europe, it has now opened or has agreements in place to be active 60 locations.

Founded in 2014 by former equities trader Rob Deutsch, the chain has grown exponentially and currently has more than 1,500 studios worldwide.

F45 offers high-intensity interval training (HIIT) consisting of 45-minute workouts featuring a range of 35 different workout programs.

The business also recently secured investment from Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg.

Commenting on the growth, F45 Global Sales Director, Luke Armstrong stated “we've worked tirelessly to create an innovative brand and proven franchise model that can operate from anywhere in the world.

"This is a truly pivotal moment in our global expansion, and we look forward to entering even more territories in the near future”.

Armstrong added that the company is looking to further "ramp up" its global expansion.