Rwanda’s ‘Visit Rwanda’ and ‘RwandAir’ Become Official Sponsors of the Inaugural African Football League

It is confirmed that ‘Visit Rwanda’ and ‘RwandAir’ will be the official sponsors of the ‘African Football League,’ which is set to be the first of its kind, taking place at the Mkapa Stadium in Tanzania.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reached an agreement with the Rwandan Government, represented by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the Ministry of Sports, and RwandAir.

The league aims to promote football and tourism in Africa and will feature top football teams from across the continent. It will be known as the ‘African Football League’ (AFL), with the inaugural tournament scheduled to start on October 20, 2023, in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

CAF has partnered with Rwanda, using RDB to promote tourism under ‘Visit Rwanda’ during the league matches and in stadiums during events and promotional activities.

RwandAir, the national airline, will be associated with the league by either sponsoring the competition or facilitating the travel for the participating teams.

Véron Mosengo-Omba, a CAF official, expressed his appreciation for the partnership with Rwanda under ‘Visit Rwanda,’ stating that it’s a significant milestone and an excellent way to showcase the country’s commitment to the development of football in Africa.

Francis Gatare, the CEO of RDB, emphasized the importance of this partnership in advancing the country’s tourism and sports development. The collaboration is part of their efforts to promote Africa’s potential and harness the economic benefits of football.

The eight teams participating in this year’s competition include Al Ahly from Egypt, Wydad AC from Morocco, Espérance Sportive de Tunis from Tunisia, TP Mazembe from DR Congo, Enyimba from Nigeria, Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa, Club Petro Atletico de Luanda from Angola, and Simba SC from Tanzania.

However, there have been reports from DR Congo suggesting that TP Mazembe may not feature ‘Visit Rwanda’ branding and might not use RwandAir for their travels.”