DR Congo Signs €40 Million Sponsorship Deal with FC Barcelona to Boost Tourism Image

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has entered into a high-profile sponsorship agreement with Spanish football giant FC Barcelona, committing to pay over €40 million ($46.37 million) to promote the country as a premier African tourism destination.

According to a contract reviewed by Reuters and dated June 29, the partnership will span four football seasons. Under the terms, a logo branding the DRC as the “Heart of Africa” will be displayed on the back of training and warm-up kits worn by both the men’s and women’s teams. The logo will also feature prominently in club advertising materials, its official magazine, and the annual report.

Although the deal has not been publicly announced by either party, the document shows that Congo will pay Barcelona between €10 million and €11.5 million annually over the four-year period.

This move follows similar partnerships announced last month between the DRC and European football clubs AS Monaco and AC Milan. While details of those agreements remain mostly confidential, Congolese Sports Minister Didier Budimbu confirmed to Reuters that the Monaco deal is worth €1.6 million per season. A separate government source revealed that the AC Milan agreement is valued at €14 million annually.

Congolese Tourism Minister Didier M’Pambia described the initiative as part of a broader strategy to “reposition the DRC on the international stage as an undisputed leader on the African continent,” aiming to attract tourism and investment.

Neither Barcelona nor the Congolese tourism ministry responded to requests for comment.

The deal has drawn comparisons to Rwanda’s “Visit Rwanda” sponsorships with European clubs, which have faced political backlash. Earlier this year, DRC’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner called on clubs like Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain to cut ties with Rwanda, labeling the sponsorships “blood-stained” amid Rwanda’s alleged support for M23 rebels in eastern Congo — a claim Rwanda strongly denies.

A recent UN report obtained by Reuters alleges that Rwandan authorities exercised command over the rebels, seeking political control and access to Congo’s mineral-rich territories.