🔗 Share this article

Arsenal Football Club has confirmed that its contentious sponsorship partnership with Visit Rwanda will expire in June this upcoming year.

Background and Scrutiny

This deal, said to be worth around £10m per year, began in 2018 and has since faced significant scrutiny.

Such scrutiny arises from the country's reported backing for the M23 forces in ongoing conflicts in the eastern areas of the adjacent DRC.

Months ago, Arsenal was criticized for committing a disrespectful act to the Congolese government by not arranging a meeting with Congolese diplomat Thérèse Wagner to address the sponsorship.

Agreement Framework and Goals

Visit Rwanda serves as a branch of the Rwanda Development Board, which is a public entity.

It is widely believed that Arsenal signed and continued this partnership primarily to expand their fanbase in Africa.

However, the arrangement has now concluded after both parties “collectively determined” to go their separate ways.

“Jointly, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have exceeded the original goals of the partnership – promoting conservation and eco-friendly travel, inspiring millions of supporters to discover the country, and establishing a durable base for travel industry expansion,” read an Gunners' release.

The announcement added that the partnership has also aided Rwanda's goal of becoming an worldwide athletic destination in Africa and stage additional international competitions while implementing grassroots football initiatives that have helped hundreds of young players and coaches enhance their abilities and encourage more involvement in sport across the country.

Executive Perspective and Fan Reaction

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's chief executive officer, described the partnership as a “important voyage” and claimed it had been “advancing” the club's goals.

However, this perspective was not shared by a segment of the club's followers, with the campaign group Gunners for Peace demonstrating outside the Emirates Stadium during the initial Champions League semi-final match against the French club in late April.

Demonstrators showed a banner that read “Drop Visit Rwanda” and distributed armbands to cover up the partnership emblem on uniforms.

Wider Landscape and Additional Teams

Around that time, PSG continued their sponsorship agreement with Visit Rwanda through 2028.

Meanwhile, the Madrid-based team signed a fresh deal for the same period that has resulted in the emblem appearing on the Madrid-based team's men's and women's shirts.