Aston Villa has announced a landmark partnership with Visit Rwanda, naming the East African nation as the club’s Principal Partner, Official Tourism Partner, and Official Coffee Provider.
The agreement, described as the most important sponsorship deal in the history of the football club, will see Visit Rwanda’s branding appear on the front of all men’s, women’s, and academy teams’ shirts, as well as in a number of other prominent spaces.
Alongside tourism, Rwanda has a growing reputation as a destination for business, investment, major events, and sport. Both parties will collaborate on a number of initiatives focused on football and coaching, as well as charitable and leadership initiatives and professional development opportunities.
Francesco Calvo, President of Business Operations at Aston Villa, described the partnership as a symbol of the club’s continuing expansion and growth into international markets.
“This is a very exciting partnership for Aston Villa Football Club and a symbol of the club’s continuing expansion and growth into international markets,” Calvo said. “There is a great range and depth of opportunities for collaboration, learning and innovation and we are looking forward to working with Visit Rwanda to deliver meaningful activations through tourism, investment and sporting development.”
Janet Karemera, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Convention Bureau, said the sponsorship reflects Rwanda’s ambition to engage global audiences through one of the world’s most influential platforms.
“This sponsorship is a powerful expression of Rwanda’s ambition to engage global audiences through one of the world’s most influential platforms and position our country as a destination to visit, invest and do business,” Karemera said. “Bringing together the Land of a Thousand Hills and the City of a Thousand Trades celebrates a shared commitment to enterprise, innovation and ambition.”
She noted that the partnership builds on eight successful years of raising awareness and engagement in the United Kingdom, one of Rwanda’s key tourism source markets.
“We look forward to working with Aston Villa to expand our reach to new audiences in the UK, across Europe and beyond. Through this partnership, we aim to deepen the connection with those already considering travel to Rwanda, whether for tourism, investment or business events, all while contributing to the long-term growth and development of the football ecosystem in Rwanda,” Karemera added.
Rwanda has been steadily increasing its presence in global football, having previously sponsored Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain. The partnership with Aston Villa marks a continuation of that strategy, aiming to position the country as a destination for tourism, investment, and business events.
For Aston Villa, the deal represents a significant commercial milestone and signals the club’s ambition to compete on the global stage. The partnership is expected to open new opportunities for collaboration in football development, coaching, and charitable initiatives.
