ARSENAL SET TO END VISIT RWANDA AGREEMENT FOLLOWING EIGHT-YEAR PARTNERSHIP

November 20 – One of the most controversial sleeve jersey sponsorship deals in the Premier League has come to an end with Arsenal confirming that their eight-year partnership with Visit Rwanda will finish at the end of the season.

The deal, which made Visit Rwanda the club’s first sleeve sponsor, never sat comfortably with a section of the fanbase. In April, a supporter group launched a campaign to scrap the agreement, even putting up a satirical “Visit Tottenham” billboard outside the Emirates before a match against Crystal Palace.

Political and social issues were also a driving force in terminating the partnership. In February, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo urged Arsenal to drop the sponsorship after Rwandan-backed rebels seized the city of Goma, while Arsenal’s LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, Gay Gooners, welcomed the decision not to renew.

“As a group, we have been uncomfortable with the deal from the start and made significant representations to Arsenal through official channels since 2021,” the group said.

“In a survey of our 2,500+ worldwide membership in July, only 2 per cent of respondents thought the £10m-a-year Visit Rwanda sponsorship should be renewed. 86 per cent wanted the contract to end and a replacement found. Some members highlighted Rwanda’s record on LGBT+ human rights.”

Arsenal Chief Executive Richard Garlick thanked the Rwanda Development Board for the partnership and pointed to the progress made over the eight-year run.

“Our first-ever sleeve partnership with Visit Rwanda has been a significant journey,” he said. “Over many years, we’ve worked together to raise global awareness of Rwanda’s tourism and conservation efforts and built many new connections with our supporters across Africa.

“The commitment and support of Visit Rwanda throughout our partnership has played an important role in driving forward our ambitions… We thank the Rwanda Development Board for their partnership and what we’ve delivered together.”

- Inside World Football

FIRST SPONSORSHIP DEAL FROM AFRICA WITH SPANISH GIANTS ATLÉTICO MADRID

The ‘Visit Rwanda’ campaign has secured a new partnership with Spanish football giants Atlético Madrid, expanding its growing roster of elite football club sponsors

• Rwanda's 'Visit Rwanda' campaign partners with Atlético Madrid, adding to its sponsorship deals with Arsenal, PSG, and Bayern Munich

• The deal includes a technical development component for young Rwandan players and coaches

• Critics have raised concerns about the government prioritizing sponsorships over pressing domestic concerns

This latest three-year sponsorship agreement makes Atlético Madrid the fourth major European club to feature Rwanda's tourism branding, following similar deals with Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Bayern Munich.

As part of the partnership, the "Visit Rwanda" logo will appear on the kits of both Atlético Madrid’s men’s and women’s teams beginning next season.

The move is part of Rwanda’s strategic push to market itself as a premier global tourism and investment destination through high-profile sports marketing.

Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, said:

“Through this collaboration, we aim to showcase Rwanda as an attractive destination for investors, a unique experience for global travelers, and a platform for nurturing talent and expanding opportunities for young Africans through sport.”

Óscar Mayo, Atlético de Madrid’s General Director of Revenue and Operations, emphasized:

“Visit Rwanda’s great importance as a partner in our club’s goal of international expansion. We are always looking for partners with global solvency, linked to football and Visit Rwanda is an example of this. It is a country in constant growth and I am convinced that we will both benefit from this partnership.”

The deal also includes a technical development component that will grant young Rwandan players and coaches access to Atlético Madrid’s world-class training expertise.

Protests mount over 'Visit Rwanda' sponsorships

While the Rwandan government celebrates this milestone, critics—including some human rights organizations—have questioned the country’s priorities, arguing that high-profile sponsorships come at the expense of pressing domestic concerns such as governance, civil liberties, and press freedom.

This new partnership comes amid ongoing protests from Arsenal supporters, who have criticized the club's association with Rwanda due to the country's alleged involvement in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to the BBC, Arsenal's management has declined to comment on the activities of a new rights group within the club - the Gunners for Peace campaign, which is pressuring the club to drop its sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda.

The Congolese government also protested the sponsorship deals, urging clubs like Arsenal to cancel their partnerships with Visit Rwanda.

This call to action stems from allegations of Rwanda's involvement in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which the Congolese government strongly condemns.

A Rwanda government spokesperson defended their sports partnerships, saying they help boost the country's economy.

Meanwhile, PSG has renewed its partnership with Visit Rwanda until 2028, while Bayern's deal is set to expire the same year.

- SOLOMON EKANEM