Aston Villa Ends Betano Sponsorship

United Kingdom.- July 16, 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Aston Villa has announced a multi-year partnership with Visit Rwanda, which will become the club’s new principal sponsor and feature on the front of the men’s, women’s and academy teams’ shirts from the 2026/27 season. The agreement also appoints the brand as Aston Villa’s Official Tourism Partner and Official Coffee Partner.

According to British media reports, the deal is worth up to £20 million per season, making it the largest commercial agreement in Aston Villa’s history. The partnership replaces Betano, whose sponsorship came to an end following the Premier League’s decision to ban gambling companies from appearing on the front of clubs’ match shirts.

Francesco Calvo, Aston Villa’s President of Business Operations, said the agreement represents a strategic step in the club’s international growth and will support joint initiatives in tourism, investment, sports development, education and community projects. Meanwhile, Janet Karemera, CEO of the Rwanda Convention Bureau, stated that the partnership will further strengthen Rwanda’s global positioning as a destination to visit, invest in and do business with.

However, the announcement has drawn criticism from Amnesty International UK, which argues that Rwanda uses high-profile sports sponsorships as a form of “sportswashing” to improve its international image amid allegations concerning human rights and its alleged involvement in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo—claims the Rwandan government strongly denies.

Visit Rwanda continues to expand its global sports sponsorship strategy through partnerships with clubs including Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético de Madrid, having previously sponsored Arsenal FC. With the addition of Aston Villa, the brand further strengthens its presence in European football as a platform for tourism promotion and international business.

Edited by: @_fonta