Football Shouldn’t Be a Billboard for the World’s Dictators
From Rwanda’s Paul Kagame to the Emirati monarchy, some of the world’s most brutal regimes have chosen to use soccer as a promotional tool.
Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrate an Mbappé goal on September 27, 2025, in Madrid, Spain. On their jerseys can be seen the logo of the UAE’s state-owned Emirates Airlines. (Angel Martinez / Getty Images)
Rwanda’s de facto dictator Paul Kagame is notorious for imprisoning his rivals (the less lucky ones are murdered). But why would he oversee Rwandan state sponsorship of Arsenal, one of the top sides in the English Premier League, ranked in eighth place on the Forbes list of the world’s most valuable football clubs?
This is hardly the first example of “sportswashing,” so it’s worth asking some broader questions as well. Why do companies, individuals, and states seek to link their names to sporting clubs and events? What benefits do they expect to gain from it? And how should sports fans respond?
Bridgeheads
Starting with the question of “why,” two different sets of motivations were on display at this year’s European Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Milan. It was a difference encapsulated in a Guardian headline — “Despotism v Capitalism.”
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