Spanish football giant FC Barcelona has entered into a $50 million, four-year shirt sponsorship deal with DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), sparking both celebration and controversy. Under the agreement, set to commence at the start of next season, the back of Barça’s training shirts will bear the slogan: “DR Congo – Heart of Africa.”
The deal, though not officially disclosed by the club, has been widely reported and has drawn international attention for its unusual nature. While European clubs are no strangers to partnerships with national tourism boards, Rwanda’s deals with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) being prime examples, Barcelona’s collaboration with a country facing internal conflict, widespread poverty, and an ongoing treason trial of a former president in absentia, makes this partnership especially contentious.
Will The $50 Million Deal to Rebrand a Troubled Nation Be Worth It?
Announced in late July 2025, the sponsorship deal seeks to position DR Congo as a tourism and investment destination by leveraging FC Barcelona’s global visibility. Government sources indicate the slogan “Heart of Africa” was chosen to evoke the country’s geographical and cultural centrality on the continent.
The DR Congo Sports Minister, Didier Budimbu, hailed the deal as “a strategic investment to tell our story to the world.” In a press briefing in Kinshasa, Budimbu said:
“We are not just promoting tourism; we are projecting national pride. DR Congo is much more than its problems; it is rich in culture, biodiversity, minerals, and potential. Partnering with a brand like Barcelona gives us the platform to tell that story.”
While the government frames the deal as nation branding and a tool for global visibility, critics have raised serious concerns about timing, priorities, and ethics.
Why Is There Backlash On Barca’s Shirt Sponsorship Deal With DRC?
Many Congolese citizens and activists are questioning the wisdom of spending $50 million on a football sponsorship when the country is reeling from internal strife.
The M23 rebel group, linked to Rwanda, has seized large portions of eastern Congo this year, displacing over 1 million people. Though a ceasefire was recently announced, tensions remain high. Simultaneously, the government has launched a high-profile treason trial against former president Joseph Kabila, who is being tried in absentia for allegedly abetting rebel activities and corruption during his tenure.
On social media and in local media outlets, the deal has been widely criticised as an elite vanity project.
“People are starving in Goma, and the government is spending tens of millions to have its name on a training jersey?” one user posted on X (formerly Twitter), echoing widespread public sentiment.
Opposition leaders have also spoken out. Moïse Katumbi, a prominent presidential candidate and former Katanga governor, said the deal was “tone-deaf, wasteful, and insensitive to the plight of millions of Congolese.”
The Role of Sports Diplomacy in Crisis Mitigation
Despite the criticism, some analysts argue the Barcelona DR Congo sponsorship deal is a form of “sports diplomacy,” an attempt to use the soft power of sport to reposition the DRC on the global stage.
Sports diplomacy refers to the use of sport as a means to influence diplomatic, social, and political relations. When executed well, it can yield considerable returns in terms of international image, soft power, and even foreign investment.
Dr. Sarah Nshuti, an expert in African geopolitics and sports diplomacy based in Nairobi, explains:
“What we are witnessing is Congo attempting to reframe its identity globally. It’s an effort to offset images of conflict, poverty, and corruption with a narrative of potential, beauty, and resilience.”
However, she warns that “such efforts must be paired with credible reforms and real investments in peacebuilding, or else they risk being seen as image laundering.”
Is Sports Tourism An Untapped Economic Engine?
Beyond image branding, the deal aims to spark interest in DR Congo as a tourist destination. The country boasts extraordinary biodiversity, from the endangered mountain gorillas of Virunga National Park to the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and the mighty Congo River.
Yet, tourism in the DRC remains vastly underdeveloped. According to the World Bank, DR Congo attracted fewer than 200,000 tourists in 2023, compared to Rwanda’s 1.2 million.
A high-profile partnership with Barcelona could increase global curiosity about the DRC, drive media exposure, and potentially encourage adventure tourism, conservation efforts, and even diaspora travel.
Still, for that to happen, significant investments in infrastructure, security, and regulation are essential.
Lessons From Rwanda’s Sports Diplomacy
The Barcelona-DR Congo partnership draws clear parallels to Rwanda’s deals with Arsenal and PSG. Since 2018, the East African nation has paid more than $40 million to Arsenal for the “Visit Rwanda” branding on their sleeves and stadium signage. A similar deal was struck with PSG in 2019.
Though Rwanda faced initial criticism over the deals, particularly from aid donors, President Paul Kagame’s administration has defended the investments as successful in boosting tourism and national branding.
Indeed, Rwanda’s strategy has paid off to some extent. According to the Rwanda Development Board, tourism revenue grew by over 10% annually post-deal, before the COVID-19 pandemic. More importantly, the “Visit Rwanda” brand is now globally recognised.
DR Congo may be hoping for a similar trajectory. But the country’s political volatility, poor infrastructure, and ongoing security crises present a much steeper uphill climb.
From Barcelona’s perspective, this is not merely a financial deal. As the club recovers from financial instability over the past five years, sponsorship diversification has become essential. The DR Congo agreement adds to the club’s portfolio of commercial partnerships outside of traditional European and American markets.
Yet the optics of partnering with a country undergoing internal conflict and human rights allegations raise uncomfortable questions.
Is this a genuine effort to support African development, or is Barcelona capitalising on a government eager for global legitimacy?
Barcelona has faced similar scrutiny in the past, including its partnerships with Qatar and, more recently, Saudi-affiliated companies. The DR Congo deal may intensify calls for the club to adopt more stringent ethical review processes for its sponsorships.
Can DRC’s Image Be Revived?
For DR Congo, the deal represents a fork in the road. On one hand, it offers a chance to reframe the country’s image and open up new avenues in tourism and diplomacy. On the other, it risks being perceived as a PR stunt that ignores the dire needs of its population.
To make the Barcelona sponsorship investment worthwhile, the Congolese government must begin by ensuring full transparency. This includes publishing the details of the contract and clearly demonstrating how the partnership will contribute to tourism, sports development, or broader economic growth. Public disclosure will help dispel suspicion and build credibility both domestically and internationally.
Equally important is the need to support local sports infrastructure. A portion of the proceeds from the deal should be directed toward rehabilitating stadiums, funding local leagues, and investing in grassroots programs that nurture young talent across the country. This would give the sponsorship real substance and impact beyond branding.
Finally, the government must work to rebuild public trust by aligning the sponsorship campaign with meaningful peacebuilding and governance reforms. Without this link, the initiative risks being seen as an expensive image-laundering exercise in the midst of a national crisis. Only by combining symbolism with action can the country turn this high-profile deal into a foundation for long-term unity and development.
What Happens Next?
The DR Congo’s challenges are deep-rooted: a history of colonial exploitation, kleptocracy, civil wars, foreign interference, and institutional breakdowns. But sport, particularly football, holds a unique place in Congolese culture.
From TP Mazembe’s historic CAF Champions League wins to the national team’s 1968 AFCON glory, football has offered moments of unity and joy amid turmoil.
If channeled effectively, the Barcelona partnership could help foster hope, pride, and engagement, especially among the youth. However, that requires inclusive policymaking, transparency, and sustained efforts beyond symbolic branding.
The Barcelona DR Congo sponsorship deal is more than a marketing exercise. It is a gamble on perception, on diplomacy, on the transformative power of sport. For DR Congo, it’s an attempt to step onto the global stage not just as a crisis zone but as a country with culture, potential, and aspirations.
Whether that gamble pays off will depend not on the jerseys alone, but on what follows: sustained reforms, peacebuilding, and a genuine commitment to the people behind the slogan, “Heart of Africa.”
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