After penning a deal with French giants PSG and Arsenal FC, Rwanda has agreed a partnership deal with German football club Bayern Munich.
The deal announced on Sunday, is a five-year football development and tourism promotion partnership which will see the club work specifically with Rwanda’s Ministry of Sports to set up a football academy aimed at strengthening the development of football in the country.
In addition, the club will display Visit Rwanda branding on match day LED boards at the club’s 75,000-seater Allianz Arena and different activities will be organized to promote tourism and investment opportunities in Rwanda.
Unlike the Visit Rwanda Arsenal deal, the Bayern Munich Visit Rwanda deal will probably not include the sleeve sponsorship. Bayern have been without a sleeve sponsor since Qatar Airways did not extend their partnership.
The new Bayern Munich Visit Rwanda deal will run for 5 years, until 2028. The money Bayern will get has not been leaked, but “Platin” sponsors are generally expected to pay at least five million euros per year.
The sponsorship will focus on football development at elite and grassroots level, including opening an academy and hosting coaching camps in Rwanda to support the development of the game for boys and girls in the country.
Additionally, the partnership will convey Rwanda’s openness to welcome business partnerships from Germany and across the world.
FC Bayern will also work with the Rwanda Ministry of Sports and Football Federation to support the development of the game.
Jan-Christian Dreesen, FC Bayern Chief Executive Officer, said: “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.
“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 internationalization.”
Andreas Jung, FC Bayern Executive Board Member Marketing, said: “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.”
Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, Rwanda Minister of Sports, said that they’re thrilled to partner with FC Bayern to support the development of youth football for boys and girls in Rwanda. 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.” She said.
Clare Akamanzi, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, said: “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.”
