Aston Villa have secured a new principal sponsor after signing a multi-year agreement with Visit Rwanda worth up to £20 million (€23.4 million) per season.

The Rwanda Development Board’s tourism brand will replace betting operator Betano, despite the two parties still having a contract in place. The sponsorship has been brought to an early conclusion ahead of the Premier League’s upcoming ban on front-of-shirt betting sponsors.

Under the new deal, Visit Rwanda will feature on the front of the men’s first-team, women’s team and academy shirts, while also receiving prominent branding across Villa Park and the club’s commercial assets.

Aston Villa described the partnership as a landmark agreement.

“This is an incredibly exciting partnership and a symbol of the club’s continued expansion and growth in international markets. There is a wide range of opportunities for collaboration, learning and innovation, and we look forward to working with Visit Rwanda to deliver meaningful initiatives across tourism, investment and sporting development,” said Aston Villa chief operating officer Francesco Calvo.

The club also announced that supporters who have already purchased the 2026/27 home shirt will be able to exchange it free of charge to receive the updated version featuring the Visit Rwanda logo.

Amnesty International warns of sportswashing

The agreement has already drawn criticism from Amnesty International UK, which warned that the sponsorship could serve as an example of sportswashing, helping Rwanda improve its international image despite longstanding concerns over its human rights record.

Last month, the Democratic Republic of the Congo filed a case against Rwanda at the International Court of Justice, accusing its neighbour of violating multiple international treaties.

Kinshasa alleges that Rwanda has deployed forces and supported armed groups carrying out illegal military operations on Congolese territory in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Rwanda has consistently denied backing rebel groups in eastern Congo. However, United Nations experts and several Western governments have concluded that Kigali provides support to the M23 rebel movement, one of the most powerful armed groups operating in the region.

Amnesty International UK said Aston Villa should be aware of the wider implications of the partnership.

“Aston Villa should be fully aware that Rwanda is seeking to use this partnership to generate a positive public image. The country is well known for arbitrary detention, torture and the suppression of freedom of expression – abuses that continue to take place domestically,” said Felix Jakens of Amnesty International UK, as quoted by the BBC.