Arsenal and Visit Rwanda to conclude landmark eight-season partnership in June 2026
Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have mutually agreed to conclude their partnership at the end of this season, bringing to a close an eight-season collaboration that included Visit Rwanda as Arsenal’s first Official Sleeve Partner.
The move reflects Visit Rwanda’s broader strategy to diversify its global sports partnerships and expand into new markets that support the next phase of its tourism and investment ambitions.
Together, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have exceeded the original goals of the partnership - promoting conservation and sustainable tourism, inspiring millions of supporters to discover the country, and creating a lasting foundation for tourism growth.
The partnership has showcased Rwanda’s natural beauty and accelerated the growth of the country’s tourism industry. Visitor arrivals reached 1.3 million in 2024, with tourism revenues rising to US$650m, a 47% increase since the partnership began.*
Standout moments throughout the partnership include the Rwanda Heritage Day at Emirates Stadium, as well as visits from the Arsenal family, including Alex Scott, Mathieu Flamini, Bacary Sagna, Jurrien Timber, Caitlin Foord, Katie McCabe and Laia Codina.
Together they experienced Rwanda’s extraordinary natural and cultural heritage, from mountain gorilla trekking and Big Five safaris in Akagera, to canopy walks in Nyungwe and lake leisure on Kivu, as well as participating in the annual Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony - the country’s flagship conservation event.
The partnership has also supported Rwanda’s ambition to become an international sporting hub in Africa and host more global sporting events whilst delivering grassroots football initiatives that have helped hundreds of young players and coaches develop their skills and inspire greater participation in sport across the country.
Jean-Guy Afrika, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board, said: “We are proud of what this partnership has achieved over many years of collaboration. It broke new ground for tourism boards around the world, driving awareness and visitation for Rwandan tourism at a pace traditional campaigns could never match. And whilst we are now focused on expanding that momentum into new sports and new markets, we remain grateful to Arsenal for its support, partnership, and shared belief in Rwanda’s story over the past eight years.
"We look forward to continuing our relationship with the wider Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Group through our recent partnerships with the LA Rams and So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles, and we remain a fully committed and engaged partner of Arsenal’s men’s and women’s teams for the remainder of the season. We wish them all the very best in their continuing quest for even more sporting success in the months ahead.”
Richard Garlick, our Chief Executive Officer, added: “Our first-ever sleeve partnership with Visit Rwanda has been a significant journey. Over many years, we’ve worked together to raise global awareness of Rwanda’s tourism and conservation efforts and built many new connections with our supporters across Africa.
"The commitment and support of Visit Rwanda throughout our partnership has played an important role in driving forward our ambitions - helping us invest in our long-term vision to win major trophies, in a financially sustainable way. We thank the Rwanda Development Board for their partnership and what we've delivered together."
