China pulls La Liga coverage after Kylian Mbappe meme dispute

China’s state broadcaster CCTV has stopped showing La Liga matches, as well as any games involving Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, after comments by the France international sparked controversy over a satirical meme comparing him with former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

The decision took effect on Tuesday, according to the Spanish news agency EFE. It forms part of a wider response that had already included the removal of advertisements and videos featuring Mbappe.

Chinese authorities warned that words and actions which “hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will be rejected by all sectors of society”.

The broadcaster’s move came as several Chinese companies announced they were ending their commercial partnerships with Mbappe. The businesses said they opposed behaviour they considered offensive to the feelings of the Chinese public.

The dispute has also affected the presentation of football information in China. Chinese sports website Dongqiudi removed Mbappe’s name from its 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings and replaced it with a phrase meaning “this person does not exist” or “this person could not be found”.

Mbappe was listed second in the rankings, behind England captain Harry Kane, while Spain forward Lamine Yamal was third.

The controversy began after Mbappe was asked in a recent interview about his favourite meme. He replied: “The one that made me laugh the most is the one where they use my face on a picture of a Chinese dictator. I use it a lot with my friends.”

Mbappe did not directly name any Chinese official. However, a digitally altered image showing his face placed over a photograph of Mao Zedong had circulated widely on social media in recent months.

The developments affect coverage of La Liga and matches involving Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid. The source listing also included La Liga entries for Barcelona on 31 October 2026, Deportivo Alaves and Racing Santander, and Real Madrid on 01 November 2026.

CCTV’s decision means the restriction extends beyond Real Madrid fixtures to any La Liga match in which Mbappe appears. The broadcaster has not been reported as limiting the measure only to games involving the Spanish club.

The commercial withdrawals and the change to the Ballon d’Or ranking followed the same controversy over the player’s remarks and the meme linked to Mao Zedong. None of the reports cited in the source indicate that Mbappe directly referred to Mao by name in the interview.