Aston Villa Announces Visit Rwanda as New Principal Partner.

Roger Hampel

Image: Aston Villa

Aston Villa has announced Visit Rwanda as the club's new Principal Partner, Official Tourism Partner and Official Coffee Provider in what the club describes as the largest sponsorship agreement in its history.

The partnership will see Visit Rwanda become the front-of-shirt sponsor for Aston Villa's men's, women's and academy teams, while also extending beyond traditional sponsorship through tourism, investment, football development and educational initiatives.

A Landmark Commercial Partnership Aston Villa

Visit Rwanda branding will appear on the front of Aston Villa's shirts across the men's, women's and academy teams from the 2026/27 season. In addition to front-of-shirt sponsorship, the agreement includes branding across club assets and a series of joint initiatives focused on tourism, investment, football development and community programmes.

Aston Villa has described the agreement as the most significant sponsorship partnership in the club's history, underlining the continued growth of its commercial platform under the current ownership.

Beyond Tourism Promotion

Both organisations emphasised that the partnership extends beyond destination marketing.

The agreement includes collaboration across:

• Tourism promotion

• Investment attraction

• Football and coaching development

• Leadership programmes

• Professional development initiatives

• Charitable projects

  
  

Executive Comments

Aston Villa President of Business Operations Francesco Calvo described the agreement as another milestone in the club's international commercial growth.

"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."

He added that both organisations intend to work together across tourism, investment and sporting development.

Janet Karemera, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Convention Bureau, said the partnership reflects Rwanda's ambition to engage international audiences through one of the world's most influential sporting platforms.

She also highlighted the objective of attracting visitors, investors and business events while contributing to the long-term development of football in Rwanda.