Rwanda has strengthened its global tourism marketing strategy after Visit Rwanda signed a major partnership agreement with English Premier League club Aston Villa, becoming the team’s new front-of-shirt sponsor.
Under the new agreement, the Visit Rwanda logo will appear prominently on the front of Aston Villa’s playing shirts, replacing Betano, the sports betting company that previously occupied the space.
The change comes after the Premier League decided to prohibit front-of-shirt sponsorships by gambling companies from the 2026/27 season, prompting clubs to secure new commercial partners aligned with the league’s evolving sponsorship landscape.
At Aston Villa, Chief Commercial Officer Francesco Calvo was tasked with finding new strategic sponsors capable of increasing the club’s commercial revenue while strengthening its global brand.
According to people familiar with the agreement, the Visit Rwanda deal could become the most valuable sponsorship contract Aston Villa has ever signed, highlighting the growing commercial appeal of both the club and Rwanda’s tourism promotion campaign.
For Rwanda, the agreement represents another significant milestone in its long-term strategy of using elite football as a platform to promote tourism and investment opportunities worldwide.
Visit Rwanda already maintains partnerships with European football giants Paris Saint-Germain in France and Atlético de Madrid in Spain.
Before joining Aston Villa, Visit Rwanda also spent eight years partnering with Arsenal, where its branding appeared on the sleeves of the club’s jerseys.
The Aston Villa agreement, however, offers even greater visibility because the Visit Rwanda logo will now occupy the front of the shirt, one of the most valuable advertising positions in world football.
As a result, Rwanda’s tourism brand will receive exposure throughout Premier League matches, European competitions, club marketing campaigns, media appearances, and official merchandise sold across international markets.
The partnership is expected to significantly enhance Rwanda’s visibility among millions of football fans worldwide while supporting the country’s broader objective of attracting tourists, investors, and international business opportunities.
For Aston Villa, the agreement arrives at a time when the club has re-established itself among England’s leading teams after several successful seasons competing for European qualification.
The Birmingham-based club is one of England’s most historic football institutions. It famously won the European Cup, now known as the UEFA Champions League, in 1982 and added another major continental trophy by lifting the UEFA Europa League in 2026.
In recent years, Aston Villa has consistently challenged near the top of the Premier League while strengthening its reputation in European competitions. The new partnership therefore reflects more than a sponsorship agreement.
It demonstrates how football has become an influential platform for destination marketing, allowing countries such as Rwanda to reach global audiences through one of the world’s most watched sports, while providing clubs like Aston Villa with strong long-term commercial partnerships that support continued growth on and off the pitch.
