Spanish soccer's Atlético de Madrid and the Rwanda Development Board have signed an agreement making Visit Rwanda a club sponsor until June 30, 2028.
As part of the agreement, Visit Rwanda branding will appear on the front of the men's first team’s training and warm-up kits in the remaining five LaLiga matches, as well as the upcoming Club World Cup.
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From next season, the branding will also appear on the women's first team’s training and warm-up kits, as well as on the back of the official match jerseys for both the men's and women's teams.
Branding will also feature on different locations at the men's team's Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium, as well as on the club's digital platforms. Visit Rwanda will also be involved in fan campaigns and promotions.
Visit Rwanda will also be the official sponsor in the training and tourist destination categories, while also becoming the club’s official coffee supplier.
This extension adds to the Rwanda Development Board’s three other major soccer partnerships.
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By GlobalDataThe first is with English Premier League club Arsenal, with the current contract due to end after the 2024-25 season. That deal sees the Visit Rwanda logo feature on the sleeve of the men’s first team and branding at the club’s home ground, Emirates Stadium.
The second is with German soccer giants Bayern Munich. That five-year deal, signed in 2023, sees the club display Visit Rwanda branding on its LED pitch-side hoarding during matchdays at its home, the Allianz Arena.
The third is with French soccer giants PSG, which sees the Visit Rwanda logo appear on the men’s team training and warm-up kit and the women's playing kit sleeve through 2028.
The new deal comes as the state of Rwanda has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years for alleged human rights abuses perpetrated by the country’s government.
In 2022, a report by international NGO Human Rights Watch said: “The ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front continued to stifle dissenting and critical voices and to target those perceived as a threat to the government and their family members. The space for political opposition, civil society, and media remained closed.”
Rwanda’s sporting sponsorships have been criticized for several years due to accusations that the ruling government is using them to sportswash its alleged rights violations.
Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and PSG have recently all been publicly urged to end their partnerships with the Rwanda Development Board by human rights groups, with Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, foreign minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, writing to Arsenal urging them to end their agreement in February after an invasion of DRC territory involving Rwanda-backed rebels M23.
Meanwhile, fellow LaLiga club Valencia and Spanish property firm TM Grupo Inmobiliario have reached an agreement to renew their partnership, with TM continuing as the club’s main global and real estate partner.
The Alicante-based company will continue to support the Valencia men's and women's first teams and the VCF Academy for the next three seasons, until 2028, following the original deal two years ago.
Thus far, the two entities have collaborated to showcase the touristic and investment appeal of the Valencian Community in key Central European markets such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
They have also carried out activations in Mexico, where Valencia played against the national team last October, with the TM Group's hotel brand The Fives featured on the front of Valencia’s shirts.
Pablo Serna, chief executive of TM Grupo Inmobiliario, said: “This strategic collaboration will allow us to continue promoting our Mediterranean lifestyle internationally, strengthen brand positioning, and achieve our growth objectives by connecting with new audiences and winning new Valencia CF fans around the world.”
Javier Solís, General Manager of Valencia CF: “The renewal of the agreement with TM Grupo Inmobiliario as our main global partner shows the strength of a partnership that works. TM Grupo Inmobiliario is a strategic partner that will accompany us through a key moment in our history, both on and off the pitch.”
In February, Valencia also furthered its expansion efforts by appointing global sports agency Wasserman to support its growth into North America.
