Bayern Munich is set to scale back its "Visit Rwanda" branding, signaling a move away from the commercial sponsorship with the African nation following criticism over alleged support for rebels in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. The German football club has announced a new agreement that will reconfigure the existing partnership into a three-year deal with a focus on developing young players at a Bayern-affiliated academy in Rwanda.
The initial five-year deal, which was signed in 2023, faced scrutiny and allegations of "sportswashing". The deal included advertisements in the stadium and events that Bayern said would promote tourism and investment opportunities in Rwanda. The "Visit Rwanda" sponsorship replaced a controversial sponsorship deal with Qatar.
The decision to partner with Rwanda drew criticism from the start, with some noting that the "Visit Rwanda" campaign is a project of Paul Kagame, Rwanda's leader. Rwanda has similar sponsorships with other major European football clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, and Atletico Madrid.
Discontent among Bayern fans grew, culminating in a protest banner displayed during a game in February. The protest coincided with accusations from the United Nations that Rwanda was backing rebel groups in eastern Congo. Rwanda has been accused of supporting the M23 rebel group, which is the most potent of over 100 armed groups competing for dominance in the mineral-rich eastern Congo, located just across the border from Rwanda. There have also been accusations of Rwanda exploiting eastern Congo's minerals, which are used in smartphones and advanced fighter jets. However, Rwandan authorities claim that some individuals involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide fled to Congo and are either collaborating with or being protected by the Congolese army. They have denied any involvement in Congo's mineral sector and asserted that any security actions taken are to protect Rwandan territory.
Under the revised agreement, Bayern Munich will shift its focus to a developmental initiative. Bayern's Chief Executive, Jan-Christian Dreesen, stated that the decision came after "constructive talks" and that a key part of their relationship with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) was the developmental aspect of their work in Kigali through the FC Bayern Academy. He added that the commercial partnership is being transformed into a talent program, expanding the FC Bayern Academy in Kigali as both a football and social initiative, aligning with their strategic objective of developing playing talent in Africa.
Bayern has not specified when the "Visit Rwanda" branding will be removed, describing the move as a transition. As of Friday afternoon, the branding was still visible on a section of Bayern's website that lists club sponsors and partners. The RDB's chief executive, Jean-Guy Afrika, stated that the changes to the partnership aim to accelerate sports development and ensure that talent development remains anchored in their vision to position Rwanda as a global hub for tourism, investment, and high-performance sport.
Bayern Munich has secured numerous sponsorships with brands like Adidas, Allianz, Deutsche Telekom, Opel, Hugo Boss and Audi. Emirates has recently become a platinum partner of Bayern Munich until 2032.
