Rwanda has taken its drive of positioning the country as the go-to destination for tourism and sports as it signs a landmark deal with European football giant, Bayern Munich of Germany.
The five-year partnership deal with the former European champions which was sealed on Sunday will see the six-time European champions promoting the East African country’s tourism as well as setting up a football academy in the country.
The new partnership will see the German Bundesliga team wear the “Visit Rwanda” logo on their jersey and is coming after similar partnerships with English Premier League club Arsenal and French giants Paris Saint Germain (PSG).
As part of the partnership, the “Visit Rwanda” logo will appear on the illuminated panels around the pitch at Bayern’s 75,000 capacity Allianz Arena stadium, according to a press release by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
“We are delighted to be partnering with FC Bayern to support the development of football for boys and girls in Rwanda. We are looking forward to creating the FC Bayern Academy where their expert coaches will be able to share their knowledge of the game with local coaches and players,” Rwanda’s Minister of Sport, Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, said in the statement.
Bayern Munich CEO, Jan-Christian Dreesen, who was in Rwanda for the signing ceremony, said:
“Africa is a continent of opportunities. For FC Bayern, it is the next important step in our internationalisation.”
On the financial gains that have come in from the partnerships with Arsenal and PSG, Rwanda says it has generated more than $160m (€148m) and attracted a million visitors, generating an additional $445m (€412m).
The new partnership is coming six months after Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, revealed that the country was considering entering a new partnership with another European club because the initial two shirt sponsorship deals with Arsenal and PSG had paid off, but did not specify which club, league or country.
“The ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’ is extending its visibility to a new European football league after England, where it is a sponsor of London club Arsenal, and France, where it is a partner of Paris Saint-Germain,” Kagame had said.