Arsenal are reportedly seeking around £20 million a year for their next shirt sleeve sponsor after confirming they will end their partnership with Visit Rwanda at the conclusion of the 2025 to 2026 season.
The current agreement with the Rwanda Development Board began in 2018 and was renewed in 2021.
It was Arsenal’s first ever sleeve sponsorship and is understood to be worth about £10 million a year, generating more than £80 million across the eight-year relationship.
Both parties have “mutually agreed” not to renew, with the Visit Rwanda branding set to disappear from Arsenal shirts from the 2026 to 2027 season. Publicly, the split has been framed as the natural end of a time-limited project, with Rwanda looking to diversify its sports partnerships and Arsenal moving into the market for a higher-value replacement.
The deal has faced sustained criticism from human rights organisations and from sections of the Arsenal fanbase over Rwanda’s human rights record and alleged support for the M23 militia in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A poll by the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust is reported to have shown more than 90 percent in favour of ending the partnership.
With the sleeve now available, Arsenal are understood to be targeting a figure of £20 million per season for the next sponsor, doubling the value of the outgoing agreement as the club look to capitalise on their increased commercial leverage.
It is not clear yet what company will purchase the space.