CCTV, the Chinese state broadcaster, has suspended its coverage of Spanish soccer's top-tier LaLiga, due to social media videos involving Kylian Mbappe, the Real Madrid and France superstar.
Various Chinese media outlets have reported that CCTV has taken this decision following a comment made by Mbappe in a recent interview, in which he referred to former Chinese national leader and icon Mao Zedong as a "dictator."
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Mbappe had been questioned about his favorite meme, and responded by mentioning an internet picture in which his face is placed onto a portrait of Mao.
Specifically, Mbappe – who has now also been dropped by several prominent Chinese brands – said: "The [meme] that made me laugh the most is the one where they put my face on a Chinese dictator."
CCTV, it has been reported, will also not be broadcasting any fixtures involving Mbappe – for example, in the pan-European UEFA Champions League – for the moment.
Satire involving depictions of former Chinese Communist Party leaders and figures can form a punishable offence in China, due to laws which prohibit "defamation of heroes and martyrs."
Mao died in 1976, and any jokes about the former leader are seen in China as a social taboo.
CCTV (owned by China Media Group) had snapped up LaLiga rights for the ongoing 2026-27 season in mid-August, with the tie-up covering both free-to-air and pay-TV rights.
The league is also covered in China by major digital streaming platform Migu, through a four-campaign tie-up.
It has also had a physical office in Shanghai since 2014 – and Mbappe is seen as its most recognizable face.
Meanwhile, two major Chinese brands have ended their association with Mbappe over the incident: drinks heavyweight Dongpeng and dairy conglomerate Mengniu.
Mengniu, in a statement, said: "With immediate effect our company is terminating all cooperation with Kylian Mbappe. Mengniu firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people."
Dongpeng stated that it has the same approach towards "any behaviour that offends national sentiments."
In terms of recent criticism of Spanish soccer by China over similar incidents, last month, Chinese state media said that Real Madrid's messages of support to Tibet and Nepal following mass flooding in those regions featured "incorrect" wording.
In April, meanwhile, fellow LaLiga giants Barcelona apologised after a flag of disputed island Taiwan appeared on an online site linked to its international academy.
