Arsenal are in advanced talks to extend their controversial £10m-a-year commercial partnership with Visit Rwanda, the tourism arm of the East African country.
The current agreement, which sees Visit Rwanda appear on the shirt sleeves of the men’s and women’s teams, was due to expire at the end of the season.
It has also been the subject of outcry from some Arsenal fans’ groups and the Democratic Republic of Congo over UN claims that Rwanda has aided militia in its neighbouring country.
City AM understands, however, that Arsenal are close to extending the partnership, which began in 2018 and sees players and coaches spend time in Rwanda and host training camps.
Visit Rwanda’s shirt sleeve sponsorship of Arsenal is reported to be worth £10m per season, making it among the most lucrative in the Premier League.
The renewal is expected to be on improved terms, however, as the club have improved on-field performance and are now among the favourites for both domestic and European silverware.
Arsenal were approached for comment.
Visit Rwanda also has commercial deals with Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid in football, and this week made a first move into US sports sponsorship.
The official tourism brand of the Rwanda Development Board on Monday announced “long-term engagements” with the NBA’s LA Clippers and NFL franchise the Los Angeles Rams.
Like Arsenal, the Rams are owned by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, the holding company of US billionaire Stan Kroenke.
Earlier this year KSE established a new division to sell commercial partnerships across its whole portfolio, which also includes the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NHL’s Colorado Avalanche.
Rwanda eyes tourism and sports profile
The deals are part of a move by Rwanda to reposition itself as a global tourism destination and wider efforts to develop its presence in sport.
As well as forging links in European football, it has hosted international cycling, pan-continental basketball and has ambitions of staging an annual Formula 1 Grand Prix.
The regime of Paul Kagame – an Arsenal fan – remains controversial, however, with Rwanda accused of supporting the M23 militia in DRC. It has denied the allegations.
Arsenal fan group Gunners For Peace this year urged the club to drop Visit Rwanda, a move it said its polling showed that a majority of supporters would back.
DRC foreign minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner said in February that Arsenal had not responded to her requests for a meeting while in London.