The members of the Rwanda football fraternity have welcomed the recent partnership deal signed between Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Spanish LaLiga side Atlético de Madrid. The deal will see Visit Rwanda become a club sponsor until June 30, 2028. Under the deal, the Visit Rwanda brand will feature on the LaLiga club’s training kits, match jerseys, and across the Metropolitano Stadium. The brand will also appear on the women's first team's training and warm-up jerseys starting next season on top of receiving the designation of official sponsor in the Training and Tourist Destination category, while also becoming the club’s Official Coffee Supplier. A number of figures in the sports ecosystem described the partnership with the Spanish club as a game-changer taking Rwanda’s visibility to a new direction. ALSO READ: Visit Rwanda inks sponsorship deal with Atletico de Madrid “When you sign with a team like Atlético de Madrid, you are not targeting Europe because we have PGS, Bayern, and Arsenal, we are targeting the Southern and Latin American part of the world to know more about Rwanda and it is opening the gates for many of other countries,” senior sports journalist David Bayingana told Times Sport. Bayingana graduated in master’s sports management from the Johan Cruyf Institute in Barcelona alongside his longtime friend and business partner Jean de Dieu Bagirishya. The two co-own local sports radio B&B Kigali FM. “When I was there and said that I am coming from Rwanda, they were surprised and they said they don’t have many fans in Africa. So this means that the target is now in Brazil, Argentina, Honduras, Mexico, and other countries who will see the visit Rwanda brand,” he said. ALSO READ: Rwanda renews partnership with French football club PSG Visit Rwanda is closely linked to the world of football, as it currently partners with several clubs from Europe’s top 5 leagues such as Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal. In its aim to consolidate its presence in European football, Visit Rwanda has chosen Atlético de Madrid to enter the Spanish LaLiga, becoming the first sponsor from the African continent to join the Red & White family. Marines FC head coach Yves Rwasamanzi, who is also the chairman of coaches in Rwanda Football Association, believes the partnership comes as a big boost for new talents aspiring to play top football, with Spanish football regarded as most suitable development environment for top talents from across the globe including Africa. ALSO READ: Over 1,000 to attend Arsenal Africa Fans Festival 2025 in Kigali “This is good for us; we will have to work hard because our country has opened the doors for us as footballers. When such a new partner or new signing comes on board through our partnerships it means greater visibility for our game and the country in general,” Rwasamanzi said. For football journalist and former APR women player, Clarisse Uwimana, Rwanda is doing great job not just in branding itself as a world’s tourism destination but because it is also helping to raise the level of Rwandan football in general. “As a Rwandan, it is good partnership, we have seen the development in the country because we are branded everywhere in Europe’s top five leagues in England, France and Germany, which is big achievement for Rwanda. We need to think how we can make the best out of these partnerships on the football side of things,” Uwimana said. “We are delighted as Rwandans and we believe that our football leaders will make sure that our players can benefit from these partnerships. It will help in development of for our football and we need to think beyond and jump on opportunities coming with this partnership as footballers,” the former APR and AS Kigali striker added. ALSO READ: French football giants PSG to promote brand Rwanda Spain has for some years been a target for Rwandan players to grown their talent. In 2013, three young players including right back Yves Rwigema, midfielder Anderson Neza and striker Fiston Nkizingabo were sent to Spain for training at the Royal European Football Academy in Valencia. Though Neza wasn’t lucky in his football career, he currently plays for Rwanda Biomedical Center in the corporate league. He said “We know that place, they have good structure for the game, from youth to senior level, I think if our football leaders can try to learn from them, it will boost our level of football in general, it is not about signing only but we can learn from them” Neza previously played for SeC Academy, Isonga and Police FC. He also captained Rwanda U17 and U23. He retired from professional football in 2018 at the age of 22 due to injuries. . ALSO READ: Rwanda’s tourism generates $647m in 2024, eyes over $700m in 2025 As part of the sponsorship agreement, Visit Rwanda will appear on the front of the men's first team’s training and warm-up kits in the remaining five LaLiga matches, as well as the Club World Cup. From next season, it will also appear on the women's first team’s training and warm-up kits and on the back of the official match jerseys of both our teams.
