Arsenal have confirmed the conclusion of their eight-year partnership with Visit Rwanda, according to Sky Sports.
The club announced that it has mutually agreed with the Rwanda Development Board to end the sponsorship at the close of the season.
The partnership, which made Visit Rwanda Arsenal’s first official sleeve sponsor, had faced criticism from some supporters.
In April, a group of fans launched a campaign demanding the deal be terminated before the current campaign began.
As part of their protest, they displayed a satirical “Visit Tottenham” billboard outside the Emirates Stadium before a home clash with Crystal Palace.
Pressure also mounted earlier in the year when the Democratic Republic of Congo urged Arsenal to cut ties with Visit Rwanda following the capture of Goma by rebels backed by Rwanda.
On Wednesday, Arsenal’s LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, Gay Gooners, expressed relief at the partnership ending.
“As a group, we have been uncomfortable with the deal from the start and made signification representations to Arsenal through official channels since 2021.
“In a survey of our 2,500+ worldwide membership in July, only 2 per cent of respondents thought the £10m/year Visit Rwanda sponsorship should be renewed. 86 per cent wanted the contract to end and a replacement found.
“Some members highlighted Rwanda’s record on LGBT+ human rights.”
The DRC government had also earlier appealed to Arsenal,along with two other major European clubs, to sever their Visit Rwanda sponsorships.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick expressed appreciation to the Rwanda Development Board for the collaboration and highlighted the milestones achieved.
“Our first-ever sleeve partnership with Visit Rwanda has been a significant journey,” said Garlick’s statement. “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.”
