Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have mutually agreed to end their eight-year "Visit Rwanda" sponsorship deal at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. The partnership, which sees the "Visit Rwanda" logo printed on Arsenal's sleeves, has been worth a reported £10 million ($13.1m) per year to the club.
Controversial deal ended by Gunners
The sponsorship deal had drawn increasing criticism due to Rwanda's human rights record and its alleged support of violent rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The decision follows sustained pressure from fan groups, including Gunners for Peace (GFP), and comes amid similar moves by other European clubs like Bayern Munich. The club's official statement and the Rwanda Development Board both described the conclusion as a mutual decision. Rwanda's tourism board stated that it was diversifying its sports partnerships to expand into new markets, including recent deals with U.S. teams under the same ownership group as Arsenal, the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Group. However, the Visit Rwanda slogan will still adorn the shirts of Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid for a number of years to come.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportFan groups' joy at decision
GFP are claiming a victory following the end of the sponsorship deal. The fan campaign, launched in April earlier this year, involved protests outside Emirates Stadium, a satirical "Visit Tottenham" video and billboard, and distributing armbands to cover the controversial logo.
Following the announcement by the club, GFP posted on Instagram: "This is a Big Club decision. We all know that money talks, but if fans get together and speak louder then they have to listen. It shows that Arsenal Football Club still has the class and the values to do the right thing. By ditching this deal the Gunners have taken a step towards peace."
'Uncomfortable with the deal from the start'
Arsenal's LGBTQ+ group, Gay Gooners, also welcomed the decision not to renew the deal. A statement from the group said: "As a group, we have been uncomfortable with the deal from the start and made significant representations to Arsenal through official channels since 2021. In a survey of our 2,500+ worldwide membership in July, only two per cent of respondents thought the £10m/year Visit Rwanda sponsorship should be renewed. 86 per cent wanted the contract to end and a replacement found. Some members highlighted Rwanda's record on LGBT+ human rights."
AFPArsenal hail 'significant journey'
In the statement from Arsenal, the club's chief executive officer Richard Garlick, said: "Our first-ever sleeve partnership with Visit Rwanda has been a significant journey. Over many years, we’ve worked together to raise global awareness of Rwanda’s tourism and conservation efforts and built many new connections with our supporters across Africa. The commitment and support of Visit Rwanda throughout our partnership has played an important role in driving forward our ambitions – helping us invest in our long-term vision to win major trophies, in a financially sustainable way. We thank the Rwanda Development Board for their partnership and what we've delivered together."
Jean-Guy Afrika, chief executive officer of the Rwanda Development Board, added: "We are proud of what this partnership has achieved over many years of collaboration. It broke new ground for tourism boards around the world, driving awareness and visitation for Rwandan tourism at a pace traditional campaigns could never match. And whilst we are now focused on expanding that momentum into new sports and new markets, we remain grateful to Arsenal for its support, partnership, and shared belief in Rwanda’s story over the past eight years."
