Arsenal close to renewing £10m ‘Visit Rwanda’ sponsorship amid protests

Arsenal are in advanced negotiations to renew their £10m-per-year partnership with Visit Rwanda, despite mounting criticism from supporters and political pressure over Rwanda’s human rights record and alleged role in regional conflicts.

The sleeve sponsorship deal, which currently places the “Visit Rwanda” logo on the shirts of both the men’s and women’s teams, is due to expire at the end of the season.

According to City AM, the North London club is close to agreeing an extension, with improved financial terms expected as Arsenal’s profile has grown on the pitch under Mikel Arteta.

Since launching in 2018, the partnership has drawn attention for its scale and visibility, with Arsenal players and staff regularly undertaking promotional visits to Rwanda as part of the agreement.

At £10m per season, it ranks among the Premier League’s most lucrative sleeve sponsorships.

The deal, however, has faced heavy scrutiny. Arsenal fan groups, including Gunners for Peace, have campaigned against the partnership, citing UN reports that Rwanda has supported the M23 militia in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Earlier this year, DRC’s foreign minister, Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, revealed the club had ignored requests for a meeting while she was in London.

The Rwandan government, led by President Paul Kagame—a well-known Arsenal supporter—has consistently denied the allegations.

Nonetheless, criticism has persisted, with polling among Arsenal supporters reportedly showing majority support for dropping the sponsorship.

Despite this, Rwanda continues to invest heavily in global sports sponsorships.

Beyond football, Visit Rwanda announced this week new long-term partnerships with the NBA’s LA Clippers and the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, both owned by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment (KSE), the parent company that also controls Arsenal.

KSE recently created a dedicated unit to sell cross-portfolio commercial deals across its global franchises, which include the Denver Nuggets in the NBA and the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL.

For Rwanda, these partnerships are central to a broader strategy of rebranding the country as a premier tourism and sports destination.

Kigali has already hosted international cycling events, the Basketball Africa League, and has ambitions to bring Formula 1 to East Africa.

Yet as Arsenal close in on a renewal, questions over the ethical dimensions of the deal remain unresolved.

For the club, the Visit Rwanda agreement delivers one of the most commercially valuable sleeve sponsorships in English football. It continues to cast a shadow over Arsenal’s global image, for critics.