Premier League club Aston Villa has announced Visit Rwanda as its new Principal Partner, Official Tourism Partner and Official Coffee Provider in what the club describes as the largest commercial sponsorship agreement in its history.
Beginning with the 2026/27 season, the Visit Rwanda brand will feature prominently on the front of shirts worn by Aston Villa’s men’s, women’s and academy teams.
The partnership also extends beyond matchday branding, with the tourism campaign set to gain visibility across multiple club platforms and international marketing initiatives.
The agreement reflects Rwanda’s growing strategy of using global sport to promote the country as a leading destination for tourism, investment, business and international events.
Beyond sponsorship, the partnership will include collaborative programmes in football development, coaching, leadership, charitable initiatives and professional training opportunities.
Francesco Calvo, Aston Villa’s President of Business Operations, described the partnership as a milestone 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.
He added that both organisations would work together to create opportunities for innovation, learning and engagement across tourism, investment promotion and sporting development.
Rwanda Convention Bureau Chief Executive Officer Janet Karemera said the agreement demonstrates Rwanda’s ambition to reach global audiences through one of the world’s most influential sporting platforms.
She noted that the partnership brings together “the Land of a Thousand Hills” and Birmingham, often referred to as the “City of a Thousand Trades,” highlighting a shared commitment to enterprise, innovation and economic growth.
According to Karemera, the collaboration builds on eight years of successful tourism promotion in the United Kingdom, one of Rwanda’s key visitor source markets, and is expected to expand awareness across Europe and other international markets.
The partnership is also intended to strengthen Rwanda’s football ecosystem while encouraging more visitors, investors and business travellers to explore opportunities in the East African nation.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa has announced that supporters who have already purchased the club’s 2026/27 home shirt can have the new Visit Rwanda branding added free of charge at the club’s official stores at Villa Park and the Bullring.
Neither Aston Villa nor Visit Rwanda disclosed the financial terms of the agreement, although the Premier League club described it as the largest commercial sponsorship in its history.