Arsenal will conclude their controversial eight-year sleeve sponsorship with Visit Rwanda at the end of the season, following significant backlash from fan groups and political pressure.
Arsenal has announced the conclusion of its eight-year partnership with the Rwanda Development Board, mutually agreeing to end the relationship at the end of the season.
The deal, which saw the words ‘Visit Rwanda’ appear on the sleeves of Arsenal kits, was the club’s first official sleeve partner but had faced continuous scrutiny.
According to a report from Sky Sports, the agreement drew criticism from various areas of the club’s fanbase, leading a group of supporters to launch a campaign against the deal in April, which included revealing a satirical ‘Visit Tottenham’ billboard outside the Emirates Stadium.
The decision was welcomed by Arsenal’s LGBTQ+ group, Gay Gooners, who had previously stated they were “uncomfortable with the deal from the start and made signification representations to Arsenal through official channels since 2021.”
A July survey of the group’s 2,500+ worldwide membership showed that only 2 per cent of respondents thought the £10m/year sponsorship should be renewed, while 86 per cent wanted the contract to end.
Furthermore, in February, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had publicly called on Arsenal to drop the sponsorship after Rwandan-backed rebels seized the city of Goma in the DRC.
The DRC also urged fellow European giants Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain to end their deals.
In a statement on Wednesday, Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick thanked the board, noting the partnership was a “significant journey” and had played an “important role in driving forward our ambitions – helping us invest in our long-term vision to win major trophies, in a financially sustainable way.
We thank the Rwanda Development Board for their partnership and what we’ve delivered together.”