Top-tier German football club, FC Bayern Munich, is ending its sponsorship agreement with Rwanda following mounting opposition from fans and human rights groups.
The German club’s partnership with “Visit Rwanda” drew criticism over Rwanda’s support for M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where conflict has led to widespread killings and the displacement of thousands.Supporters had staged protests earlier this year, urging the club to cut ties with the East African nation.The deal, first signed in 2023, was part of Rwanda’s broader push to market itself through sports partnerships, including prior agreements with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
While the commercial sponsorship is being phased out, Bayern Munich said it will continue working with Rwanda on youth football development through its academy in Kigali. The club and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) announced a three-year agreement until 2028 to expand the FC Bayern Youth Academy in Kigali.
“We are therefore transforming our commercial partnership into a talent programme and expanding the FC Bayern Academy in Kigali together with the RDB as both a football and social initiative,” Jan-Christian Dreesen, CEO of FC Bayern Munich said.
“As we enter a new phase, we are refocusing our resources to accelerate sports development, with emphasis on talent identification, coaching excellence, and sports infrastructure,” Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of RDB.
Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain remain tied to Rwanda through multimillion-dollar sponsorships. Arsenal’s shirt-sleeve deal, valued at about £10 million (US$12.3 million) per year, began in 2018 and was renewed despite previous controversy over the U.K.’s Rwanda immigration plan.
PSG extended its partnership in 2023, worth an estimated €8 million to €10 million annually, which includes training-kit branding and promotional work by players.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has pressed the clubs to cut ties, with its foreign minister earlier this year writing directly to Arsenal, PSG, and Bayern to question the morality of their agreements.
The sponsorships are central to Rwanda’s effort to brand itself as a high-end tourism destination. Tourism is the country’s largest source of foreign exchange, accounting for more than 10% of GDP, and the “Visit Rwanda” branding on elite European clubs has been designed to attract higher-spending travelers while raising global visibility.
Losing a club partner like Bayern not only weakens that campaign but also risks undermining Rwanda’s broader strategy of using sport as a tool of soft power and economic positioning.