Football, often referred to as the beautiful game, is more than a sport; it's a multi-million-dollar industry globally. In countries like England, football is a massive revenue generator, with the Premier League earning a record £6.1 billion in the 2022–2023 season. However, in Rwanda, the reality is quite different. Football clubs here struggle to generate sustainable revenue, hindered by a lack of investment, limited sponsorships, and structural inefficiencies. ALSO READ: Kagame tells new leaders to treat sports as a talent-based business Most Rwandan football clubs operate under financial constraints. While some clubs like Vision FC, Gasogi FC, Rayon Sports, and Gorilla FC are privately owned, many others are sponsored by district authorities. This funding model has proven unsustainable, leading to unbalanced budgets and stunted growth. Jean-Claude Gahigi, president of Bugesera FC, a club sponsored by Bugesera district, highlighted the challenge: Most teams in the league rely on district funding, but there can be no development without investment. Without sufficient funds, we cannot sustain player salaries or attract top talent. We need to collaborate with the Ministry of Sports to address these issues and transform football into a profitable sector, he noted. Gahigi also pointed out that district authorities often demand budget cuts, leaving clubs unable to break even. It’s a vicious cycle. We are forced to reduce our budgets, which leads to debt and no profit. This makes it impossible to achieve long-term growth, he added, ALSO READ: Team Nelly and Kigali’s sporting vision For privately-owned clubs like Gorilla FC, the financial burden falls on individual owners. Businessman Yusufu Mudaheranwa, owner of Gorilla FC, shared his frustration, noting that it is more of a burden than a business. “Sponsors contribute around Rwf 60 million annually, which isn’t enough to cover our monthly budget of 40 million. Most of the funding comes from our personal businesses. This makes it hard to see a viable future in football,” he said. Mudaheranwa also criticized the lack of marketing and grassroots development. We need better league visibility and grassroots programs to reduce reliance on expensive foreign players. Investing in local talent and branding our league would boost revenue,” he noted. Women’s football faces more hurdles. Axella Beanie Kana, Secretary General of Rayon Sports Women Football Club, highlighted the disparities. We play on poor pitches, which increases the risk of injuries. Fans rarely show up for matches, and there is no real investment. If I were an investor, I wouldn’t put money into such disorganised situations,” she noted.