Arsenal Ends Controversial Sponsorship with Rwanda Amid Human Rights Concerns

Arsenal Football Club has decided to terminate its sponsorship agreement with Rwanda, a move that has garnered considerable attention due to concerns surrounding the country’s human rights record and its reported support for violent factions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This decision comes in response to persistent advocacy from fan groups, particularly Gunners for Peace (GFP), and mirrors similar actions taken by other European clubs, including Bayern Munich. Both Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board characterized the termination as a mutual decision, with Rwanda’s tourism authority indicating its intent to diversify its sports partnerships to reach new markets, including recent collaborations with U.S. teams associated with Arsenal’s ownership group, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Nevertheless, the “Visit Rwanda” branding will continue to feature on the jerseys of Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid for several more years.

GFP has proclaimed victory following the conclusion of the sponsorship deal. The fan-led campaign, initiated in April, included protests outside the Emirates Stadium, a satirical “Visit Tottenham” video and billboard, as well as distributing armbands to obscure the controversial logo.

In a post on Instagram following the club’s announcement, GFP stated: “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.”

Arsenal’s LGBTQ+ fan group, Gay Gooners, also expressed support for the decision to end the sponsorship. Their statement noted: “As a group, we have been uncomfortable with the deal from the start and have made significant representations to Arsenal through official channels since 2021. In a survey of our 2,500+ worldwide membership in July, only two percent of respondents believed the £10 million per year Visit Rwanda sponsorship should be renewed. Eighty-six percent favored ending the contract and finding a replacement, with some members citing Rwanda’s record on LGBT+ human rights.”

Richard Garlick, Arsenal’s Chief Executive Officer, remarked in the official statement: “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 have 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 accomplished 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 worldwide, driving awareness and visitation for Rwandan tourism at a pace traditional campaigns could never match. While we now focus on expanding that momentum into new sports and markets, we remain grateful to Arsenal for their support, partnership, and shared belief in Rwanda’s story over the past eight years.”