Why Arsenal decided to end Visit Rwanda shirt sleeve sponsorship deal

From next season, Visit Rwanda will no longer appear on the sleeve of Arsenal jerseys.

The club announced on Wednesday that it would end its eight-year partnership with the Rwanda Development Board in June 2026.

Many Arsenal fans will be relieved to see the association with Visit Rwanda conclude, with the relationship facing increased scrutiny due to the Rwandan government being accused of serial abuses by several human rights groups. Rwanda’s support for the M23 militia in neighboring Congo has amplified these concerns.

A recent survey by the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust showed that more than 90 per cent of respondents wanted to end the partnership, with 67 per cent voting to negotiate an immediate exit from the deal. Another 23 percent were willing to wait until the contract expires next summer.

An early termination was never particularly likely for Arsenal – getting out of the Visit Rwanda deal would have been incredibly complex, while potentially leaving the club with a significant financial deficit. But Arsenal have now made it clear they intend to move in a different direction.

From 2026-27, Arsenal will have a new sleeve sponsor. For its part, Visit Rwanda says it is now focused “on expanding this dynamic into new sports and new markets”.

The news surprised some. Athletics reported in October that Arsenal were in talks over an extension to the Visit Rwanda deal. These discussions have been going on for around a year, as Arsenal weigh up their options regarding the future of their sleeve sponsorship.

Visit Rwanda’s sponsorship will remain on Arsenal shirts until the end of the season (George Wood/Getty Images)

A renewal with Rwanda was not ruled out, according to sources close to the negotiations, who, like all those interviewed in this article, remain anonymous to protect relations. Arsenal had a strong partnership with the East African nation’s development council, one that ran counter to the goals of promoting conservation causes and a booming luxury tourism industry. Arsenal has helped promote Rwanda as an international sporting hub in Africa, as well as several grassroots football initiatives.

There were financial realities to consider. The sponsorship with Visit Rwanda has proven lucrative, providing sustainable income which has helped provide a platform for Arsenal’s sporting ambitions. Rwandan President Paul Kagame is a passionate Arsenal fan and it was felt that Visit Rwanda could be a long-term partner.

Arsenal operate in a highly competitive environment and are keen to maximize every resource possible. The financial framework of the sport means that these sponsorship deals have a significant impact on Arsenal’s ability to invest on the pitch.

There is a limited list of brands with the capacity and resources to compete with what Rwanda has to offer. Arsenal were aware that it would be difficult to find a partner capable of matching Visit Rwanda’s financial commitment.

But the club was eager to explore alternatives. Staff have been tasked with scouting other potential partners to strengthen Arsenal’s hand and give them a clear view of their options.

The club was aware of the public relations problems surrounding the association and the growing unease among supporters. Arsenal’s partnership with Visit Rwanda has been highly controversial.

The 2023 Human Rights Watch (HRW) global report said that Kagame’s Rwandan Patriotic Front “continues to wage a campaign against real and perceived opponents of the government” and that “more than a dozen members of the political opposition are in prison,” alleging that many of them are “being prosecuted or have been convicted on spurious grounds.”

Supporters’ concerns have increased in recent years. In April 2022, the UK government proposed that any asylum seeker entering the UK “illegally” could be sent to Rwanda – a policy which the UK Supreme Court ultimately ruled to be unlawful.

Arsenal fans before the Champions League semi-final first leg against PSG in April (Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)

The same year, Rwandan forces entered the Democratic Republic of Congo to support the M23 rebel group. In February 2025, the British government suspended aid to Rwanda due to problems in the eastern part of the DRC.

Last season, supporters group Gunners for Peace unveiled a satirical billboard outside the Emirates Stadium with the slogan ‘Visit Tottenham’.

“This is the same regime that finances a brutal militia causing thousands of victims in eastern Congo,” their statement read. “We think anything – literally anything – would be better than Visiting Rwanda. Even Tottenham.”

Concerns about Arsenal went beyond bad press and fan protests: significant international sanctions against Rwanda could have jeopardized their trade deal, which could have left a significant hole in the club’s revenue.

Arsenal explored ways to mitigate this risk, but these were costly and complex. This, coupled with potential reputational risks, needed to be factored into the debate.

The time pressure that weighed on Arsenal’s decision came from the manufacturing process. If Arsenal want to integrate a sleeve sponsor into next season’s kit, they need clarity by the start of the year at the latest.

(Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Arsenal have a kit manufacturing deal and master partnership with Adidas which runs until 2030 – the club must have been aware of the manufacturing schedule and the huge problems that would be caused to the kit supplier if the Visit Rwanda partnership ended unexpectedly.

Ultimately, Arsenal chose to go in a new direction for their sleeve sponsorship. Arsenal’s commercial director, Juliet Slot, presented an offer which, on balance, proved more attractive. Slot is credited with leading a campaign that improved trading revenue from £169.3 million to £218.3 million ($222 million to $285 million) in the latest set of accounts.

With a compelling alternative now on the table, the Arsenal board – fresh with an influx of new blood – opted for change. Arsenal has attracted interest from various brands, including technology and cryptocurrency companies. The identity of their new partner is not yet known, but a formal agreement is said to be close.

Visit Rwanda is looking to the US market and will maintain relationships with Arsenal owners Kroenke Sports & Enterprises through their partnerships with the LA Rams and So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Arsenal’s partnership with the Rwanda Development Board will continue until the end of the season. Who knows, Arsenal could still win a Premier League title with Visit Rwanda up their sleeve.