BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom — Visit Rwanda has signed a landmark partnership with English Premier League club Aston Villa, becoming the club’s Official Front-of-Shirt Partner in a deal that significantly expands Rwanda’s global sports marketing strategy.
Announced on Wednesday, the agreement also names Visit Rwanda as Aston Villa’s exclusive Official Tourism Partner and Official Coffee Provider.
The partnership will see the Visit Rwanda brand displayed on the playing shirts of Aston Villa’s men’s, women’s and academy teams across all competitions, including the Premier League and European tournaments, giving Rwanda year-round exposure to millions of football fans worldwide.
Beyond shirt sponsorship, the agreement includes branding at Villa Park, international marketing campaigns, digital content and fan engagement initiatives aimed at promoting Rwanda as a destination for tourism, investment, business and major events.
The partnership also extends beyond marketing to include football development programmes, coach education, academy exchanges, leadership initiatives, charitable projects, scholarships and professional development opportunities for young Rwandans.
Janet Karemera, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB), said the partnership reflects Rwanda’s ambition to reach 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,” she said.
Karemera said the partnership builds on eight years of Visit Rwanda’s promotional activities in the United Kingdom, one of Rwanda’s key tourism source markets, and is expected to expand the country’s reach across Europe and beyond.
Aston Villa President of Business Operations Francesco Calvo described the agreement as another step in the club’s international growth strategy.
“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.
Visit Rwanda said the agreement strengthens its presence in global sport, adding Aston Villa to an existing portfolio of partnerships that includes Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético de Madrid, the Basketball Africa League, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Rams.
The announcement comes as Rwanda continues to position tourism as a key driver of economic growth. The country generated a record US$685 million in tourism and conference revenues in 2025, welcoming 1.49 million visitors, while Kigali ranked as Africa’s second-leading destination for international meetings.
Under its national development strategy, Rwanda aims to increase annual tourism revenues to US$1.1 billion and double private investment to US$4.6 billion by 2029.
Officials said the partnership with Aston Villa is expected to support those ambitions by leveraging football’s global appeal to attract visitors, investors and business opportunities while contributing to the development of football in Rwanda.
