RDB Announces Conclusion of Landmark Arsenal Sponsorship Deal in 2026

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has announced that, by mutual agreement, the partnership it had with Arsenal through the Visit Rwanda initiative will end in June 2026, meaning the contract will not be renewed afterward.

RDB stated that this decision aligns with its strategy to expand its operations, particularly in sports-based partnerships, as it looks toward new international markets and investment opportunities.

The press release explained that Arsenal and RDB went beyond the goals set when the partnership began — namely promoting tourism, ensuring that football fans worldwide learn about and visit Rwanda, and laying a strong foundation for tourism development.

RDB noted that this collaboration showcased Rwanda’s natural beauty and greatly contributed to the growth of the tourism sector. It reported that tourist arrivals increased by 1.3 million in 2024, and tourism revenue rose by 47% compared to before the partnership began.

Some memorable moments highlighted by RDB include showcasing Rwandan culture at Emirates Stadium and the visits made to Rwanda by current and former Arsenal players. These included Alex Scott, Mathieu Flamini, Bacary Sagna, Jurrien Timber, Caitlin Foord, Katie McCabe, and Laia Codina. During their visits, they toured various parts of the country such as national parks and other sites, and they also spent time giving advice to young Rwandans who love football.

RDB’s Chief Executive Officer, Jean-Guy Afrika, said:
“We are pleased with what this partnership has achieved over the years. It has presented a new level of tourism promotion across different parts of the world and increased the number of people visiting Rwanda in ways that had not been achieved before. As we focus on expanding sports-based tourism in new destinations, we thank Arsenal for the support, collaboration, and many contributions over the past eight years.”

He added:
“We look forward to continuing our relationship with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Group through our recently signed partnership with the LA Rams and the So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles, and we will maintain our collaboration with Arsenal’s men’s and women’s teams for the remainder of this season. We wish them all the best as they pursue success in the months ahead.”

Arsenal’s Chief Operating Officer, Richard Garlick, said that working with Visit Rwanda as their first sleeve sponsor had been an exceptional journey.

He added:
“For many years, we have worked together to raise global awareness of Rwanda’s tourism and wildlife conservation, while engaging with our fans across Africa. The collaboration and support from Visit Rwanda through this partnership have significantly helped us advance our goals, contributing to our long-term ambition of winning major trophies and supporting our financial strength. We thank RDB for the partnership and everything we achieved together.”

In May 2018, it was announced that the Rwanda Development Board had entered a partnership with Premier League club Arsenal, with Rwanda becoming the club’s first sleeve sponsor. The “Visit Rwanda” logo was displayed on the left sleeve of the men’s first team, the women’s team, and the youth teams.

The agreement was implemented starting from the 2018/19 season, which began in August 2018, and was initially set to end with the 2020/21 season, which concluded in May 2021.

On August 18 of that year, RDB announced that after a successful three-year collaboration, the two sides had agreed to extend the contract in 2019. This followed a 17% increase in Rwanda’s tourism revenue — rising to $498 million in 2019 from $425 million in 2018.

Arsenal’s role in promoting Rwanda since 2018

Arsenal is among the top 10 most popular football clubs in the world, as measured by social media following, financial strength, brand value, and annual kit sales.

Throughout the seven years of collaboration, Arsenal not only wore the “VISIT RWANDA” logo on their kits and displayed it on advertising boards at Emirates Stadium, but also actively promoted Rwanda’s attractions and culture using their players and their social media platforms, which have a combined following of about 100 million people.

Since 2018, many legendary and current Arsenal players — both men and women — have visited Rwanda.

Under this partnership, Arsenal coaches Simon McManus and Kerry Green also trained Rwandan coaches, helping them learn modern football training techniques used by Arsenal.

Every year, the club also participated in Rwanda’s Kwita Izina ceremony for naming baby gorillas.