English Premier League champions Arsenal will build three football pitches in Rwanda as part of the legacy of the collaboration despite the conclusion of the club’s eight-year Visit Rwanda partnership in June. The project, estimated to cost US$250,000 (approximately Rwf368.5 million), is among the long-term benefits Rwanda will continue to enjoy, alongside a range of capacity-building and skills development initiatives implemented during the partnership, which saw the Visit Rwanda brand featured on Arsenal's shirts for the past eight years. ALSO READ: Milestones that stood out during Visit Rwanda-Arsenal partnership Speaking during a media engagement on Tuesday, July 14, Minister of Sports Nelly Mukazayire said the project forms part of Rwanda's broader strategy to strengthen sports infrastructure and nurture young talent through partnerships with leading international sports organisations. Though the deal with Arsenal has come to an end, they are going to build football pitches in the country. We are currently identifying suitable locations where there is the greatest need. This is a huge opportunity for us, she said. While Mukazayire did not disclose how many additional facilities could be developed through other Visit Rwanda partnerships, she said Atlético de Madrid and NBA franchise the Los Angeles Clippers are also expected to contribute to sports infrastructure development in Rwanda. According to Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the partnership with Arsenal delivered several notable initiatives, including the annual Rwanda Heritage Day at Emirates Stadium and visits by Arsenal legends and club ambassadors. ALSO READ: Revisiting Rwanda’s major sports sponsorship deals since 2018 Former England international Alex Scott became the first Arsenal ambassador to visit Rwanda shortly after the partnership was launched. She was followed by David Luiz in 2019, Gilberto Silva, Robert Pirès and Jurriën Timber in 2023, among other current and former club representatives. Throughout the partnership, Visit Rwanda also gained extensive global exposure through branding on Arsenal's matchday LED advertising boards, interview backdrops, digital platforms and at Emirates Stadium, which welcomes more than 250,000 visitors annually. RDB says Rwanda's tourism sector has recorded significant growth since the partnership began, with tourism revenues increasing by 47 percent over the period. The upward trend continued in 2024, when international visitor arrivals reached 1.3 million, while tourism generated US$650 million (approximately Rwf941 billion) in revenue.
