DR Congo to pay Barcelona over €40 million for tourism promotion on their training and warm-up kits

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has signed a high-profile sponsorship agreement with Spanish football club FC Barcelona worth over €40 million ($46.4 million), in a bold move to boost its international tourism appeal. The four-year deal, which began in late June, will see the slogan “The Heart of Africa” displayed on the training and warm-up kits of both the men’s and women’s teams, placing the Central African nation in the global sporting spotlight.

The DRC government hopes the campaign will reposition the country as a key tourism and investment destination in Africa, despite ongoing security and governance challenges at home. In addition to jersey branding, the campaign will include visibility in FC Barcelona’s official publications, advertisements, and club magazine.

The sponsorship deal comes at an annual cost of between €10 million and €11.5 million, and is part of a broader strategy that includes similar partnerships with other European football clubs. According to officials, the government has already secured a €1.6 million-per-year deal with AS Monaco and a €14 million-per-year agreement with Italian club AC Milan.

Tourism Minister Didier M’Pambia has described these partnerships as an effort to “reposition the DRC on the international stage as an undisputed leader on the African continent,” despite long-standing issues of armed conflict, displacement, and infrastructure challenges that have hampered the sector for decades.

The announcement has sparked debate across the region, especially in light of the DRC’s earlier condemnation of Rwanda’s own sports sponsorships. In February, the country’s foreign minister urged clubs like Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain to end their deals with Rwanda’s “Visit Rwanda” campaign, labeling it “blood-stained” due to growing political tensions and regional insecurity.

The timing of the DRC’s own sponsorship efforts—especially with clubs of FC Barcelona’s stature—has led some observers to question whether the millions being spent on branding campaigns abroad might be better used to address pressing domestic needs such as poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, and security.

Still, for the DRC government, the deal marks a symbolic step toward reimagining the country’s global image. Whether the multimillion-euro investment will translate into measurable tourism growth remains to be seen, particularly as many potential visitors remain cautious due to the country’s persistent instability.

With the logo soon to appear on one of the world’s most visible football teams, the DRC is banking on sports marketing as a bridge to new economic opportunities and international recognition—despite the contradictions such a move presents on the home front.