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The North London club has declared that its much-debated sponsorship arrangement with Visit Rwanda will come to an end in June of next year.

Context and Criticism

This deal, said to be worth around £10m per year, began in 2018 and has since come under fire.

Such scrutiny is due to accusations of Rwandan assistance for the M23 rebel group in continuing hostilities in the eastern region of the bordering Congo.

Earlier this year, Arsenal was criticized for delivering an "outrageous" snub to the government of the DRC by declining to meet with Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner to talk about the deal.

Agreement Framework and Goals

Visit Rwanda serves as an arm of the Rwanda's development authority, which is a government department.

There is broad consensus that Arsenal committed to and continued this partnership primarily to expand their African supporter base.

Nevertheless, the arrangement has now concluded after both parties “mutually agreed” to part ways.

“Together, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have outperformed the primary aims of the partnership – supporting environmental protection and sustainable tourism, motivating countless fans to explore Rwanda, and establishing a durable base for travel industry expansion,” stated an official Arsenal statement.

The release further noted that the partnership has also assisted Rwanda's goal of becoming an international sporting hub in Africa and host more global sporting events while executing community soccer programs that have assisted numerous youth athletes and coaches develop their skills and encourage more involvement in sport across the country.

Leadership View and Supporter Response

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's top executive, characterized the deal as a “important voyage” and claimed it had been “advancing” the club's goals.

However, this perspective was not shared by a segment of the club's followers, with the activist organization Arsenal Peace Advocates staging protests outside the North London venue during the initial Champions League semi-final match against Paris Saint-Germain in the end of April.

Activists unveiled a banner that read “Terminate the Visit Rwanda Partnership” and provided wristbands to conceal the Rwanda branding on kits.

Wider Landscape and Additional Teams

Around that time, the French champions renewed their partnership deal with Visit Rwanda until 2028.

Simultaneously, the Spanish club entered a new agreement for the same period that has led to the branding featured on the Spanish club's male and female kits.