Marketing & Sponsorship

Bayern Munich And Rwanda: Why Is Sponsorship Controversial?

Though a unilateral ceasefire was announced on Tuesday, a deadly conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has seen the Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 recently capture the border city of Goma and exacerbated a humanitarian crisis in the region.

Rwanda denies backing M23, and says any actions it takes are in self-defense, but the United Nations has repeatedly called for the country to withdraw forces from DRC and bring an end to support for the group.

Bayern Munich signed a deal with Rwanda in 2023, following in the footsteps of English club Arsenal and French outfit Paris Saint-Germain. The five-year partnership, described by Bayern as “platinum” and thought to be worth in excess of €5 million a year ($5.15million) a year stipulates that Bayern promote the African country’s tourism brand “Visit Rwanda.”

“Countless lives have been lost; rape, murder and theft prevail. Your sponsor is directly responsible for this misery. If not for your own consciences, then the clubs should do it (end their sponsorship agreement) for the victims of Rwandan aggression,” she wrote.

What has Bayern’s reaction been?
The Bundesliga leaders have not yet responded to a query from DW nor spoken publicly on the matter. However, shortly after it was signed in 2023, Jan-Christian Dreesen, Bayern’s CEO, defended the deal.

“Yes, we take money from Rwanda, but we also do something for it; by being open about it, by sending coaches there, by building a youth academy together, and so on,” he told DW. “We want to be part of the development of Rwanda and also champion Africa as a continent of opportunity.”

Is this the first time something like this has happened with Bayern?
No, in fact the Rwanda deal was signed less than two months after the end of a similar deal with Qatar which also proved highly controversial, and caused a significant rift between the club and its fans. Qatar’s position on dissent and other human rights issues came under the spotlight during the 2022 World Cup. Bayern’s active fanbase felt the country’s politics did not match the club’s stated values and a 2021 annual general meeting descended into anarchy in scenes that made global headlines.

What do Bayern and Rwanda gain from such deals?
In the case of the club, the answer initially appears to be money, though it is increasingly unclear whether the damage to its reputation caused by issues such as this is worth an amount that would only pay the wages of star striker Harry Kane for a couple of months. Bayern are also seeking to improve their profile in the region.

“Africa is a continent of opportunities. For FC Bayern, this is the next important step in internationalization,” said Dreesen when the deal was signed. Ultimately, again, this would be a way to grow commercial income.

For Rwanda, the stated aim is “to support the development of youth football for boys and girls in Rwanda” through the Bayern Munich academy set up in the country, according to then-minister for sport Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju.

“The potential is there for Rwandans to excel in football and this partnership provides a great platform for Rwanda to strive for excellence in sports,.” she said.

But many international observers see it differently, with Rwanda, and its leader Paul Kagame, increasingly being accused of sportswashing – using sports in order to present a positive public image that does not reflect reality.

“These sponsorships…have acted to sanitize Rwanda in the eyes of the world. Rwanda, which is a very poor country, has decided to spend its money supporting these clubs. It has signed deals with the cycling world championships, it’s hoping to get Formula 1 to be held in Rwanda and it creates this image of a modern, progressive, clean, safe African country,” author and journalist Michela Wrong told DW News.

“But at the same time, it’s intervening very strongly in neighboring (DR) Congo and creating chaos in that country, and is responsible for thousands of deaths.”

What could happen next?
The situation in DR Congo is fast-moving and it is unclear how secure the ceasfire is. France has called for Rwanda to “immediately” exit the country, the UK’s foreign minister, David Lammy, has said M23 “could not have taken Goma without material support from Rwandan defense forces” and Germany is among the major powers considering whether to continue sending aid to Rwanda.

From Bayern’s perspective, things are unclear. Given how politically engaged fans are in Germany, Bayern are likely to come under much more internal pressure than PSG or Arsenal and, as with Qatar, they must now decide whether the PR damage is worth the revenue.

“These are rich, popular, very high-profile clubs – I don’t think they need to take money from Rwanda, they can find other sponsors,” Wrong said. “I would encourage them to do so.”

Bayern host Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Friday night, which may mean matchgoing fans will make their voices heard through a banner or some other form of collective action.

Marketing & Sponsorship

UEC Proposes a 5% ‘Player Development Reward’ For Distributing UEFA Club Competition Fund

The Union of European Clubs (UEC) has proposed an overhaul of how UEFA distributes funds from its club competitions to better recognise player development.

At the heart of the proposal is the creation of a ‘Player Development Reward’ (PDR), which would set aside five per cent of UEFA’s club competition revenues each season.

These funds would then be redistributed to clubs based on the number of minutes played in UEFA competitions by footballers they trained as well as prize money earned. Importantly, only clubs from UEFA member associations – not participating in the Champions League league phase – would be eligible.

The UEC argues that the current system is flawed. The organisation describes FIFA’s transfer solidarity and training compensation payments as “outdated, unpredictable, and unfair”. According to the organisation, they tend to reward transfers rather than long-term investment in youth development. UEFA’s existing solidarity mechanisms, meanwhile, fail to specifically incentivise training clubs, despite their central role in nurturing talent.

The UEC believes its PDR proposal is not about solidarity, but a redistribution model focused on player development. It would not simply benefit smaller clubs, but also medium-sized clubs like Ajax, Atalanta and Club Brugge.

To demonstrate the PDR model in action, the UEC cites Francesco Acerbi, who played 680 minutes for Inter Milan en route to the UEFA Champions League final. Under the proposed system, his former club Pavia – where he played until the age of 22 – would have received €321,000 for its part in his development. In a second example, FC Barcelona’s Jules Koundé 1,106 minutes played in the Champions League would generate €768,000 for Bordeaux where he played until the age of 20.

A simulation run by the UEC suggested that more than 400 clubs would have received mre than €100,000 each under the PDR scheme, highlighting its potential to more fairly support the foundation of European football.

With the proposed PDR, the UEC believes it is aligning with the European Sports Model which demands a fair, diverse and sustainable club ecosystem.

Insideworldfootball.com

Marketing & Sponsorship

Diageo Joins The FIFA World Cup 2026 Sponsorship Lineup

FIFA continues to land sponsors at an impressive rate for the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Global spirits leader Diageo is the latest company to sign on the dotted line, becoming a Tournament Supporter.

Diageo is responsible for a number of leading liquor brands including Casamigos and Don Julio tequila, Buchanan’s and Johnny Walker whiskey, and Smirnoff Vodka.

The partnership with FIFA will deliver unique fan-focused activations, and the two entities will promote responsible consumption, always a challenge when it comes to hard-partying football supporters.

“We are proud to deepen our partnership with sports by bringing our unmatched portfolio to toast the FIFA World Cup 26,” said Cristina Diezhandino, Chief Marketing Officer at Diageo. “Football is the world’s biggest sport and with this tournament set to be the biggest in its history, we see this as a unique opportunity to celebrate with fans in new and meaningful ways.”

Chief business officer at FIFA, Romy Gai, added: “We are delighted to welcome Diageo as an Official Tournament Supporter to the FIFA World Cup 26 Commercial Programme. It’s great to be teaming up with the global leader in spirits for the biggest celebration of football ever. Through this agreement, Diageo will create unparalleled experiences for the fans that promote responsible celebration on the world’s biggest stage.”

AB InBev is the current sponsor of beer and has a deal with FIFA that runs through the 2026 World Cup.

Beverage Sponsors and FIFA Fact: Coca-Cola has maintained one of the longest-standing corporate partnerships in sports history with FIFA, dating back to 1974. During the controversial 2022 Qatar World Cup, FIFA faced significant challenges with beverage sponsorships when the host nation banned alcohol sales in stadiums just days before the tournament began, forcing Budweiser (AB InBev) to quickly adapt their promotional strategy and creating tensions between FIFA and their long-time beverage sponsor.

Insideworldfootball.com

Marketing & Sponsorship

AS Monaco Extends Partnership With Zumub

AS Monaco have announced the extension of their partnership with Portuguese sports nutrition company Zumub, which will remain the club’s official nutrition supplier through to the end of the 2025/26 season.

The renewed agreement continues a relationship that began in 2021 and sees Zumub play a key role in the physical preparation and recovery of Monaco’s first-team players. The brand, which claims to offer Europe’s largest catalogue of sports nutrition products, will continue to provide tailored nutritional support as part of the club’s broader performance and well-being programme.

Zumub’s product line includes over 10,000 references, many of which are designed for elite athletes and meet the rigorous standards required in top-level sport. According to the club, the partnership reflects a joint commitment to innovation and sustainable approaches to physical conditioning.

The agreement also underlines Monaco’s commercial strategy of cultivating a broad network of specialised sponsors. The Ligue 1 club boasts a diverse and international portfolio of partners across sectors such as technology, finance, healthcare, and performance.

The continuation of the Zumub partnership strengthens Monaco’s ties with the health and wellness segment, which is becoming increasingly important in modern football’s sports science arms race.

As things stand, Monaco sit third in Ligue 1 with two games left to play, the final automatic UEFA Champions League qualification spot. Though they’re only one point behind second-placed Marseille, there is an equal distance to fourth-placed Nice.

Insideworldfootball.com