Since 2018, you may have noticed Visit Rwanda imprinted on Arsenal’s and Paris Saint-Germain’s teams’ shirt sleeves and training equipment.
During home matches, the country is also advertised on the pitch’s advertising boards.
So how could Rwanda, one of the poorest countries in Africa, make a sponsorship deal to promote tourism on the biggest football teams in Europe, and how much did it cost?
Here are further details about the Rwanda sponsorship deal with the European League football club and its impact on the country’s tourism sector.
What does the Visit Rwanda deal involve?
The Visit Rwanda sponsorship deal is a £10 million-per-year sponsorship agreement between the Rwandan government, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain football clubs.
Rwanda is also Arsenal’s first official Tourism Partner and shirt sleeve partner.
- For a three-year partnership, the Visit Rwanda logo is branded on the left sleeve of all Arsenal and PSG teams, men’s and women’s, to promote the country’s tourism.
- The Arsenal men’s and women’s team players will travel to Rwanda through the sponsorship.
- Arsenal’s coaches will organize coaching camps to foster the sport’s growth for both boys and girls in the nation.
- The partnership deal also involved establishing a Paris Saint-Germain Football Academy in 2020 in Huye District in Rwanda’s southern province.
- The partnership will provide global exposure to Rwanda and boost the country’s goal to be a successful tourism and investment destination.
Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, is a dedicated fan of Arsenal and used his fandom to build exposure for his country.
Which teams are sponsored by Visit Rwanda?
In a three-year sponsorship deal, the Visit Rwanda is a premium partner to Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain football clubs. They also have deals with Bayern Munich and
The sponsorship logo is branded on Arsenal’s left sleeve. On the other hand, Paris Saint-Germain, the biggest soccer team in France, has it branded on their training kit.
The Visit Rwanda deal with PSG is valid until 2025, and the football club will experience the country’s beauty, culture, and environment.
The partnership also involves Rwanda’s readiness for business partnerships with France and worldwide.
In May 2023, PSG and Visit Rwanda celebrated their third anniversary. They extended their partnership to 2025 after successfully working together.
The first partnership between Arsenal and Rwanda was in 2018 when it became Arsenal’s first sleeve sponsor and official tourism partner.
Over three years, the Visit Rwanda Arsenal deal worth was estimated to be £30 million.
In 2021, Rwanda renewed its partnership for another four years until 2025, for £10 million per year.
The extension means the Gunners and PSG are estimated to earn £40 million during the partnership.
