Mbappé loses Chinese sponsors as CCTV suspends LaLiga broadcasts By Luís Henrique Costa
2 min read
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Three Chinese companies ended their sponsorship deals with Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé, and the state broadcaster CCTV suspended the transmission of LaLiga matches involving the club. The measures followed a remark the French player made about a meme that placed his face on an image of Mao Zedong. Mbappé apologized in a statement released on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
How the remark came about on The Bridge
The comment came from an interview with the French talk show The Bridge, which is hosted by Real Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni. In the footage, Mbappé said the meme that made him laugh the most showed his face on “a Chinese dictator”. The clip spread on Chinese social networks after it was posted on Monday, October 26, 2026.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the comment, and its spokesperson Guo Jiakun said words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people would meet rejection across Chinese society. Dongpeng, which also appears as Eastroc, Mengniu and Milkground then announced the end of their partnerships with the player. The companies cited zero tolerance for behavior that offends national sentiment.
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LaLiga apologizes as CCTV halts its broadcasts
LaLiga president Javier Tebas issued a statement apologizing for the offense caused. He said a single act should not damage the league’s relationship with China or the more than twenty clubs that compete in it.
CCTV suspended the broadcast of LaLiga matches featuring Real Madrid. The network’s parent group, China Media Group, called on the club to apologize and said nothing would be discussed until it did. Real Madrid had not issued a statement by the time of the reports.
Brands leave Mbappé as Real Madrid stays silent
According to Spanish press, part of the revenue from Mbappé’s personal sponsorship deals is passed on to Real Madrid. The club keeps commercial agreements with Chinese brands such as Linglong Tire, Roborock and Hisense. Officials are concerned about a market of about 100 million fans in the country and about sales of official products.
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Mbappé published the apology in French, Chinese and English, calling his comment “ill-judged” and saying he has deep respect for the Chinese people. China said it would take the apology seriously, but the suspension of broadcasts remains in place.
