French soccer giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have renewed their partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), which will see them continue to promote the Visit Rwanda tourism brand until 2028.
PSG first partnered with the RDB in 2019 in a deal reportedly worth between €8 million (US$9.2 million) and €10 million (US$11.5 million). The deal was then renewed in 2023 for a further two years.
The Contract includes the following:
- Visit Rwanda logo to appear on the sleeve of the men’s first team kits at the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup
- Branding will also feature on PSG’s US and Canada-based academy training kits
- Tourism brand to be promoted at the Parc des Princes during PSG home games
In addition to its deal with PSG, the RDB also has partnerships for its Visit Rwanda brand with English club Arsenal and Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
PSG’s renewal of its Visit Rwanda deal comes amid an escalating humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A Rwanda-backed rebel group captured Goma, the largest city in eastern DR Congo, with the United Nations estimating that 700 people had died in the conflict as of January. Rwanda claimed its troops were in the DR Congo as a defensive measure to prevent the conflict entering Rwanda.
In February, PSG, Arsenal and Bayern Munich were urged to end their partnership with the RDB, when DR Congo’s foreign minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner wrote a letter calling on the teams to end the ‘blood-stained sponsorship deals with this oppressor nation’.
Meanwhile, in January, some PSG fans started a petition calling on the club to end its partnership with Visit Rwanda, gathering 75,000 signatures.
“We are looking forward to continuing this journey with Visit Rwanda,” said PSG chief executive Victoriano Melero. “Together, we help showcase the cultural richness and natural beauty of Rwanda, while demonstrating that football can inspire and bring communities around the world closer together.”
“This partnership has contributed significantly to positioning Rwanda as a leading destination for tourism and investment – and a beacon for talent, sports, and cultural innovation,” added Jean-Guy Afrika, RDB chief executive. “Renewing through 2028 allows us to build on that success and create even more impact for Rwandans and the global Paris Saint-Germain community.”
Arsenal’s partnership with the RDB, which is reportedly worth UK£40 million (US$53.5 million), is set to expire at the end of this season. The club’s deal has previously drawn scrutiny, particularly in November 2023 when the UK government’s Rwanda asylum policy was ruled unlawful by the UK’s Supreme Court.
By SportsProMedia
