A growing number of Arsenal supporters are urging the club not to renew its sleeve sponsorship deal with Rwanda, calling on the Gunners’ hierarchy to prioritise ethics over financial gain.
The campaign, led by a group called Gunners for Peace, comes amid intensifying scrutiny of Rwanda’s involvement in the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Authorities in the DRC claim Rwanda has backed M23 rebels responsible for violence that has killed over 7,000 people since January—a charge Rwanda firmly denies.
Campaigners argue that continuing the “Visit Rwanda” partnership sends the wrong message. Some Congolese Arsenal fans have even removed or covered the sponsor’s logo from their shirts in protest. One supporter, Tresor Kudabika, replaced the branding with a patch of the Congolese flag, stating that the team is losing popularity among Congolese fans.
“We had the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid and the whole country was supporting Madrid,” Kudabika told BBC Sport Africa.
A recent poll conducted by Gunners for Peace suggested that six out of ten Arsenal fans support ending the sponsorship, which reportedly brings in over £10 million annually and is believed to expire at the end of the current season.
Campaign co-founder Joe Mbu, who was born in the DRC, said fans should not feel ashamed to wear their club’s shirt.
“At what point do we put financial gain aside and look at the humanity of it?” Mbu asked. “Continuing the sponsorship would be a great shame.”
The group has launched a creative campaign, including a spoof video and a billboard outside the Emirates Stadium that reads “Visit Tottenham”—a tongue-in-cheek jab at Arsenal’s fierce rivals. “It’s a joke with a very serious punchline,” said co-organiser James Turner. “We simply want a sponsor that better reflects the club’s values.”
Fans have also distributed armbands designed to cover the Visit Rwanda logo. More are expected to be handed out at the Champions League semi-final clash against PSG next week, and discussions are underway with PSG fans for possible joint protest action. PSG recently renewed its partnership with Visit Rwanda until 2028, despite a petition against the deal receiving over 75,000 signatures.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich, another club partnered with Rwanda, has not commented on the status of its relationship since sending a delegation to the country in February to “monitor the situation.”
The Rwandan government defended the campaign, citing its significant economic benefits. “The Visit Rwanda tourism campaign allowed Rwanda to generate nearly $650 million in tourism revenues last year,” a government spokesperson said. Kigali also claimed that such partnerships are part of its broader strategy for economic transformation and global visibility.
Rwanda’s investment in global sports has raised concerns of “sportswashing,” with critics arguing the country is using high-profile sponsorships to distract from serious political and human rights issues. In addition to football deals, Rwanda is also set to host the Cycling World Road Championships in September, although plans for a Formula 1 race have reportedly stalled.
Despite official denials, international observers, including the UN and the US, have echoed the DRC’s claims about Rwanda’s role in supporting M23 rebels and exploiting the region’s mineral wealth—allegations Kigali continues to reject.
For Gunners for Peace, however, the message is clear.
“Wearing Visit Rwanda is just telling people that it’s okay for people to kill people from Congo,” said Kudabika. “If Arsenal really live by their values, they’ll end the deal.”
Arsenal has declined to comment on the campaign.
