A group of Arsenal supporters has called on the club to end its sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda, citing concerns over Rwanda’s involvement in regional conflicts.
The fan group, Gunners For Peace, has launched a campaign urging the north London club to sever ties with the Rwandan government-backed tourism body. As part of their protest, the group erected a satirical billboard reading “Visit Tottenham” near the Emirates Stadium – a tongue-in-cheek reference to Arsenal’s fierce local rivals.
Rwanda’s sponsorship of Arsenal began in 2018, with the country’s tourism board, the Rwanda Development Board, partnering with the club as part of a wider global branding effort. Similar deals have also been signed with Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain. Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, is a well-known Arsenal supporter.
However, the partnership has come under renewed scrutiny following the UK Government’s decision in February to suspend aid to Rwanda over its alleged support for the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The conflict has drawn international criticism, with rights groups and UN reports linking the group to widespread violence in the region.
The sponsorship agreement is believed to run until at least the end of the 2025 season.
Gunners For Peace say a poll of nearly 300 Arsenal fans found that 56% supported ending the sponsorship, with 25% opposed and 19% undecided.
Supporters involved in the protest plan to distribute armbands ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League match against Crystal Palace, allowing fans to cover the Visit Rwanda branding on their shirts.
Speaking on behalf of the group, James Turner said: “’Visit Tottenham’ is a joke with a serious punchline. It’s hard to think of a worse sponsor than Visit Rwanda, and together with many other Arsenal fans, we are calling on the club to drop them.”
In a statement on their website, the group added: “Arsenal is a great club. We have standards. Which is why Visit Rwanda needs to end. This is the same regime that’s funding a brutal militia committing atrocities against thousands of innocent victims in Eastern Congo.”
Arsenal Football Club has yet to respond publicly to the campaign.
