President Paul Kagame was in the stands at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday night as Visit Rwanda partner PSG delivered a stunning 5-4 victory over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg, putting Rwanda’s brand in front of one of the biggest football audiences of the year.
The Rwandan head of state was photographed alongside PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who presented him with a framed club jersey after the match.
The official X account of the Rwandan Presidency confirmed his attendance, posting images of Kagame watching the match from the VIP section and mingling with the crowd, a rare, visible moment of Rwanda’s football diplomacy playing out in real time on European soil.
The game itself was extraordinary. PSG and Bayern Munich produced a nine-goal thriller at the Parc des Princes, with the hosts winning 5-4 in a first leg that swung in every direction.
Goals from Kvaratskhelia, João Neves, and Ousmane Dembélé, including two penalties powered the Parisians, while Bayern’s Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Luis Díaz kept the Germans within reach.
The timing of Kagame’s visit is no coincidence. Just last month, Visit Rwanda and PSG renewed their partnership through 2028, with Rwanda Development Board CEO Jean-Guy Afrika saying the deal has “contributed significantly to positioning Rwanda as a leading destination for tourism and investment.”
As part of the renewed deal, the Visit Rwanda logo now appears on the sleeve of PSG’s men’s first-team jersey at high-profile competitions, including the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
The original three-year PSG partnership launched in 2019 and reportedly worth between €8 million and $10 million has since been extended twice, with the latest renewal running to 2028.
Rwanda’s tourism revenues grew by 4.3 percent to $647 million in 2024, partly attributed to the visibility generated through its European football club partnerships.
The PSG Academy Rwanda, launched under the original agreement, has already trained more than 400 young Rwandans with access to elite coaching, education, and mentorship.
PSG now carry a one-goal advantage into the second leg in Munich.
If they advance to the Champions League final, Visit Rwanda’s branding moves with them onto the biggest club football stage in the world, watched by hundreds of millions globally.
For a country that has built a deliberate sports diplomacy strategy across PSG, Arsenal, and Bayern Munich simultaneously, a PSG run to the final would be worth far more than any advertising spend. Rwanda’s bet on the beautiful game is still paying off.
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