Aston Villa players set for Rwanda visit under sponsorship agreement

Aston Villa players are set to visit Rwanda as part of the club’s sponsorship agreement with the tourism brand, according to The Athletic.

They recently announced a new partnership with Visit Rwanda as the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor.

The deal is considered the most valuable commercial partnership in Villa’s history, representing a 20 percent increase on the club’s previous front-of-shirt sponsorship with Betano.

It could be worth as much as £20 million per season if performance-related bonuses are met.

Visit Rwanda is the country’s official tourism campaign, created to attract international visitors and encourage foreign investment. 

Over the past several years, the brand has partnered with major European football clubs as part of its global marketing strategy.

Janet Karemera, chief executive officer of the Rwanda Convention Bureau, confirmed that the partnership includes several planned visits to Rwanda by Villa representatives. 

She explained that players from both the men’s and women’s teams are expected to visit the country, alongside members of the club’s executive leadership.

“They’re (Villa) going to come to Rwanda,” she said. “They’re going to visit. We have in our partnership the men’s team – the women’s team are coming to visit. Also the executive leadership (team). 

“On their board they have a board member who’s already invested in Rwanda. So I think they’re very much aware of the country and its ambitions.”

Despite its growing presence in European football, Visit Rwanda has been criticised in recent years, with human rights groups questioning the country’s sponsorship deals with certain clubs.

They have also raised concerns about whether such partnerships improve Rwanda’s international image while diverting attention from political and regional issues.

Visit Rwanda continues to expand its football partnerships, with Villa joining clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid in promoting the country’s tourism brand on the global stage.

Meanwhile, Villa are making moves in the transfer market in preparation for the new season.

They have hijacked Newcastle’s move for Swiss star Johan Manzambi, while Lucas Digne is close to finalising a move to PSG.