What you need to know about DR Congo-Barcelona sponsorship deal: summary

What we know

• The Democratic Republic of Congo signed a $51 million sponsorship deal with FC Barcelona to promote tourism under the “Heart of Africa” brand.
• The logo will appear on the backs of Barcelona's men's and women's teams' training and warm-up jerseys, plus in club advertisements, magazines, and annual reports.
• Congo will pay between €10 million and €11.5 million annually over four seasons.
• This is DR Congo’s third major football sponsorship this year, following agreements with AC Milan (€14 million per season) and AS Monaco (€1.6 million per season).
• The deals aim to reposition DRC globally and boost tourism despite ongoing conflict in the east with Rwanda-backed rebels.

What they said

Tourism Minister Didier M'Pambia said the sponsorships are part of a government strategy to present the DRC as “an undisputed leader on the African continent.” However, the deal has drawn criticism from some of the clubs’ fan groups, who question Congo’s human rights record, Semafor Africa reports. Football analysts suggest that Barcelona’s own financial pressures, amid rising player wages and transfer fees, may have motivated the agreement. DRC officials and Barcelona have so far declined to provide further comment. Meanwhile, earlier this year, Congo’s foreign minister had publicly urged European clubs like Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain to end their “blood-stained” partnerships with Rwanda, accusing Kigali of backing rebel violence in eastern Congo.