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The partnership, initially penned in the year 2023 and set to run until 2028, would shift to focus on a youth academy, the Bavarian heavyweights said on Friday.
Bayern Munich. (AP Photo)
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich will put an end to the sponsorship agreement promoting tourism in Rwanda amid controversy pertaining to the ongoing conflict in the region.
The partnership, initially penned in the year 2023 and set to run until 2028, would shift to focus on a youth academy, the Bavarian heavyweights said on Friday.
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said, “The new arrangement transitions away from a commercial sponsorship to a dedicated partnership focusing on football development in Rwanda through the expansion of the FC Bayern Youth Academy in Kigali.”
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While the statement did not explicitly mention the reasons behind the shift, a German media outlet reported that the decision was driven by criticism due to the escalating conflict.
In February, Bayern fans displayed a banner at a home game stating that the deal “betrayed the values” of the club.
The Rwandan government has been accused of neglecting human rights and supporting rebels fighting against government forces in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
At the beginning of 2025, violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo intensified.
The Rwandan-backed M23 armed group and Rwandan troops seized Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, in January, followed by Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, in February.
The UN estimates that thousands have died as a result of the attacks.
The deal included ‘Visit Rwanda’ advertising at Bayern’s 75,000-seat Allianz Arena, replacing a controversial deal with Qatar, which had also been criticised by the club’s supporters.
In response to the criticism of the previous deal, Bayern sent staff to Rwanda to assess the situation on the ground. The new contract runs until 2028.
Premier League side Arsenal and Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain have also faced criticism for similar sponsorship deals with Rwanda.
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