LOS ANGELES – Visit Rwanda, the official tourism brand of Rwanda, has made history by entering the U.S. sports market with multi-year sponsorship deals involving the LA Clippers of the NBA and the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL.
The agreements mark the first time an African tourism brand has partnered across both leagues, further extending Rwanda’s global sports sponsorship portfolio.
As part of the Clippers deal, Visit Rwanda becomes the exclusive jersey patch sponsor, with its logo to appear on all home, away, and practice jerseys. It will also serve as the official coffee sponsor of Intuit Dome, the Clippers’ new state-of-the-art arena.
The partnership includes community activations such as basketball court refurbishments in Rwanda, youth coaching exchanges, and virtual sessions between Clippers coaches and their Rwandan counterparts.
“Sport connects people, uniting communities through shared values of excellence and aspiration. Through sponsorships with the LA Clippers and LA Rams, Rwanda and Los Angeles unite to promote the spirit of the game,” said Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board. “This engagement enables us to export Rwanda’s unrivaled natural beauty and extraordinary biodiversity to the people of Los Angeles as well as NBA and NFL fans everywhere.”
The Rams partnership designates Visit Rwanda as an official international tourism sponsor of the Los Angeles Rams, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park.
Rwanda will also hold entitlement sponsorship of two premium spaces within SoFi Stadium—the West Owners Club and the Level 3 North Canyon Basin—while gaining digital visibility on the Infinity Screen and across Hollywood Park during games and events.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to have Visit Rwanda sponsor SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park,” said Otto Maly, President of Kroenke Holdings. “SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park were built to be the World Stage and a true international destination. We are pleased to have the Rwanda Development Board choose to promote tourism and travel to Rwanda here at Hollywood Park, which will host a historic string of global events over the next few years.”
The sponsorship also highlights the NBA’s wider global vision, including its investment in the Basketball Africa League (BAL), which staged games in Rwanda’s BK Arena.
“There is tremendous confidence in the future of Africa, a continent with 11 of the 20 fastest-growing economies in the world,” said Gillian Zucker, CEO of Halo Sports and Entertainment. “In just five years, more than 40% of the world’s youth will live in Africa — a digitally connected generation, passionate about sport and basketball, and eager for opportunity. We’ve seen that energy across the continent, including in Rwanda where the NBA and BAL are helping to create meaningful pathways for young people. The energy that has brought the league to Rwanda has made this sponsorship a natural fit — one that is focused on growing the game and creating opportunities for young people.”
Los Angeles Rams President Kevin Demoff added: “As we look to grow the Los Angeles Rams into a global brand, we are committed to identifying commercial opportunities that help us expand our reach internationally. This sponsorship not only builds on Visit Rwanda’s long-standing relationship with Arsenal but also gives us a unique opportunity to have a presence in Africa, building on our efforts across Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Mexico.”
Rwanda is banking on such international visibility to fuel tourism growth. In 2024, the country earned US$ 650 million from tourism, one of its leading foreign exchange sectors.
The country has set an ambitious target of US$ 1 billion in annual tourism revenue by 2029, with global sponsorships seen as a key driver in achieving that goal.
These new U.S. deals build on Visit Rwanda’s existing partnerships with Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético de Madrid, and FC Bayern Munich’s youth academy program, positioning Rwanda as one of the most visible African nations in global sport.
