DR Congo is millions in football sponsorship

The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the poorest countries in the world. Nevertheless, the government will now pay tens of millions to AS Monaco, AC Milan and FC Barcelona. The sponsoring transactions are part of a conflict.

“Dr Kongo – The Heart of Africa” will be on a jersey of the AS Monaco in the coming season in Ligue 1 and in the Champions League. The French club promises to promote talents in the Central African country. In addition, the DR Congo should be from the “International media presence of the AS Monaco” benefit by promoting the country’s image.

At AC Milan, the DR Congo Ministry of Tourism becomes a so -called “premium partner”. The club announced that it wanted to initiate incentives for investments and business opportunities. Milan President Paolo Scaronin said according to the announcement that his club wanted to “contribute to the development plans of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the economic and social field”. According to a report by the Reuters news agency, FC Barcelona will now be a sponsorship with the DR Congo as another prominent club.

Millions of people live in poverty, millions of euros go to football clubs

The contrast to the million dollars in professional football: DR Congo is one of the poorest countries in the world. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development describes the country as “Economically completely ruined”. In health care, people are dependent on support for aid organizations or churches. The water and power supply is poor. Of the 110 million people in the country, around 70 percent live in absolute poverty, they have to make do with less than $ 2.15 a day.

At the same time, the government of the DR Congo will now be placed millions in football sponsorship. Reuters reports on the contract content of at least ten million euros per season, which should go to FC Barcelona for four years. The AS Monaco receives 1.6 million euros per season, said sports minister Didier Budimbu to the news agency. The amount of payments to AC Milan are not known.

Conflict with Rwanda is reflected in sports

The sponsorship contracts act in the struggle for attention like a reaction to the sponsoring transactions of the neighboring country Rwanda. Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and FC Arsenal advertise for tourism in Rwanda. The football sponsorships reflect the conflict of both countries. Professional football offers both countries a platform to be perceived.

The rebel group “M23” in the east of the DR Congo has been fighting against the central government for more than ten years. Rwanda’s government is accused by the United Nations to support the rebels financially and militarily. Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, together with the rebels, will break down valuable raw materials such as Gold and Coltan in the east of the DR Congo. Coltan is required, for example, when manufacturing mobile phones and laptops. The United Nations Security Council asked the rebel group to leave the conquered areas.

In a joint motion for a resolution, the European Parliament therefore called for Rwanda to withdraw the Road Cycling World Cup, which is to take place there in September. The World Association holds on Rwanda as an organizer.

Foreign Minister of DR Congo criticizes clubs for business with Rwanda

The DR Congo Foreign Ministry participated in the sponsorship contracts. Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner spoke in May with a view to the contracts of the clubs with Rwanda of “blood stained” shops. “Dhe clubs should say how they stand in a partnership with a country that attacks other countries and leads to hundreds of thousands of children and men and men for their lives. “ she said in an interview with the sports show.

In February 2025, Jan-Christian Dreesen, CEO of FC Bayern, announced that he wanted to check the partnership. FC Bayern did not answer when the sports show asked what happened to the exams.