German football giant Bayern Munich announced a five-year partnership with Visit Rwanda to promote tourism and help develop the country’s football sector.
Bayern Munich will do this by working closely with Rwanda’s Ministry of Sports to set up a football academy to strengthen the development of football in the country.
Also through this partnership, Visit Rwanda branding will be displayed on matchday LED boards at Allianz Arena, one of the world’s most modern and advanced stadiums that holds 75,000 fans.
Visit Rwanda is a brand that provides a platform for Rwanda to showcase its tourism attractions, cultural heritage, and investment opportunities to the whole world.
They have recent history in the world of football, signing with Arsenal FC as a sleeve sponsor in 2018 and then followed suit in 2019 when they partnered with PSG as a premium partner and training kit sponsor for the club. These deals are still ongoing with both clubs and Rwanda President Paul Kagame stated that they have very healthy relationships with each club as well as tourism revenue success from their involvement in football.
Andreas Jung, FC Bayern Executive Board Member Marketing, mentioned the goal with football development in Rwanda in a club press release.
“I am looking forward to this new, very exciting collaboration. We will support the Rwandan Ministry of Sports in developing youth football programs, including our FC Bayern Youth Cup. We want to spread ‘Visit Rwanda’ as a tourism destination, and we also welcome the new partner to our business network,” he said.
Jan-Christian Dreesen, FC Bayern Chief Executive Officer, added:
“I am very pleased with this collaboration agreed upon until the summer of 2028. FC Bayern can become active on the African continent and gather important experiences,” he mentioned.
“The new platinum partnership is aligned with long-term goals. We will promote ‘Visit Rwanda’ and help Rwanda grow in sports with projects for youth football. These are challenging and responsible tasks. Africa is a continent of opportunities. For FC Bayern, this is the next important step in internationalisation.”
There is a clear goal from Bayern Munich to expand globally into Africa and cement themselves as a world footballing powerhouse with a strong brand identity.
Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, Rwanda Minister of Sports, said in a joint media release:
“We’re thrilled to partner with FC Bayern to support the development of youth football for boys and girls in Rwanda,” she said.
“We look forward to setting up the FC Bayern Academy where their expert coaches will share knowledge of the game with local coaches and players. 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.”
Clare Akamanzi, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, discussed the already strong relationship between the two countries.
“The Rwanda Development Board is pleased to welcome yet another strategic partner in FC Bayern Munich. It’s been five outstanding years since the Government of Rwanda announced the Visit Rwanda campaign and adding FC Bayern as another additional partner allows us to reach out to its millions of fans across the globe and tell them to visit Rwanda,” she stated via media release.
“Germany is among Rwanda’s top five tourism source markets and we aim to use this partnership to attract more tourists to Rwanda, showcase investment and business opportunities and encourage all to stay in Rwanda.”
This partnership is a good fit for both parties, allowing Bayern Munich to expand into an untapped African market for German football clubs as well as help Rwanda generate further revenue for tourism and improve their football team which is a key goal for President Paul Kagame.
