Armed conflict in Congo derails Bayern Munich's advert deal with Rwanda

Bayern Munich, arguably Germany’s most esteemed football club, announced on August 8 that it will significantly reduce its “Visit Rwanda” branding as part of a shift away from its current commercial sponsorship with the African nation amid mounting criticism over its alleged support for rebel forces in neighbouring Congo.

The move marks a change in the partnership signed in 2023, which initially spanned five years and featured prominent “Visit Rwanda” advertisements inside Bayern’s stadium, as reported by N-TV, as well as initiatives aimed at promoting tourism and investment in the East African country. 

At the time of the signing, Bayern replaced a similar high-profile sponsorship deal with Qatar. Other major European clubs — including Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, and Atletico Madrid — have also partnered with Rwanda in recent years under comparable agreements.

When Bayern first signed with Rwanda two years ago, the club dismissed accusations of “sportswashing,” a term used when governments seek to improve their image through high-profile sports sponsorships. However, the deal quickly drew controversy, with Bayern fans displaying a large protest banner during a February match, referencing allegations from the United Nations that Rwanda has been backing the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In its latest statement, Bayern said it had renegotiated the arrangement, transforming it into a three-year partnership focused on youth football development. The new agreement will support a Bayern-affiliated soccer academy in Rwanda's capital Kigali, prioritizing the training and development of young players over the original tourism-promotion component.

Bayern did not specify when all “Visit Rwanda” branding would be removed, describing the change as a “transition” rather than an abrupt termination. 

Rwanda’s sponsorship footprint in European football has grown steadily since 2018, when it signed its first major deal with Arsenal, placing “Visit Rwanda” on the Premier League club’s shirt sleeves. That was followed in 2019 by an agreement with PSG, which was renewed in April this year, including branding inside the French club’s stadium and shirt-sleeve sponsorship during the Club World Cup. In April 2024, Rwanda also secured a three-year deal with Atletico Madrid, covering branding on training and warm-up shirts.

The growing criticism stems from persistent international accusations that Rwanda is playing a destabilizing role in eastern Congo. The UN and other observers say Kigali is providing support to the M23 rebel group, considered the most powerful among more than 100 armed factions operating in the resource-rich region. Eastern Congo holds vast reserves of valuable minerals, including those essential for producing smartphones, advanced military aircraft, and other high-tech products.

Rwanda is also accused of exploiting Congo’s mineral wealth for its own benefit, a claim Kigali firmly denies. Rwandan officials maintain that their security operations near the border are defensive, aimed at countering threats from remnants of militias involved in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, some of whom, they allege, are working alongside or being shielded by the Congolese army. Rwanda also denies having any role in Congo’s mining sector.

By Nazrin Sadigova