BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom — English Premier League club Aston Villa has announced Visit Rwanda as its new Principal Partner, Official Tourism Partner and Official Coffee Provider in what the club describes as one of the most significant commercial partnerships in its history.
Under the agreement, the Visit Rwanda logo will appear on the front of the playing shirts worn by Aston Villa’s men’s, women’s and academy teams across domestic and European competitions.
The partnership will also give Rwanda extensive visibility at Villa Park, through the club’s digital platforms, international marketing campaigns and fan-engagement activities designed to promote the East African country as a destination for tourism, investment, business and international events.
Beyond commercial promotion, Aston Villa and Visit Rwanda plan to undertake football-development programmes, academy exchanges, coaching education, scholarships, leadership initiatives and professional-development opportunities for young Rwandans.
Janet Karemera, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Convention Bureau, said the partnership would allow Rwanda to engage global audiences through one of the world’s most influential sporting 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.
Aston Villa President of Business Operations Francesco Calvo described the agreement as an important step in the club’s continued expansion 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.
The financial terms were not disclosed in Aston Villa’s official announcement. However, British media reports indicate that the front-of-shirt agreement could be worth approximately £20 million per season, making it the most lucrative sponsorship arrangement in the club’s history.
The agreement maintains Visit Rwanda’s prominent presence in English football following the conclusion of its long-running sleeve sponsorship partnership with Arsenal in June 2026.
Aston Villa now joins Visit Rwanda’s international sports partnership portfolio, which includes Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Madrid, the Basketball Africa League, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Rams.
Rwanda earned a record US$685 million from tourism and conference activities in 2025 after welcoming approximately 1.49 million visitors. The country aims to increase annual tourism revenue to US$1.1 billion by 2029, with global sporting partnerships forming part of its strategy to attract tourists, investors and international events.
