President Paul Kagame on Wednesday, March 1, hinted that Rwanda could, before long, partner with another major football club, in what would then be the country’s third such deal after that with Arsenal and Ligue 1 Champions Paris Saint-Germain. But he did not reveal which team Rwanda is in talks with.

The deals are aimed at promoting the visibility of Rwandan brands and tourism.

ALSO READ: Rwanda becomes Arsenal’s first tourism partner

Kagame said the deals with Arsenal, one of the most successful teams in English football history, and Paris Saint-Germain have returned impressive dividends based on tourism through the ‘Visit Rwanda’ campaign.

"And we are having another one coming up with another famous football team,” Kagame said, adding: "So, when you see us going one after another, you [should] know; we know what we are pursuing. It’s not to lose money.”

In May 2018, the Rwanda Development Board, through their subsidiary, the Rwandan Convention Bureau, became Arsenal’s first official sleeve partner as part of the country’s drive to become a leading global tourist destination. At the time, Arsenal’s Chief Commercial Officer, Vinai Venkatesham, who is now the Chief Executive Officer, noted that Arsenal shirts are seen 35 million times a day globally.

He said "Arsenal’s huge following will bring Rwanda into people’s minds in a new and dynamic way.” Venkatesham was looking forward to working with the ‘Visit Rwanda’ team to further establish Rwanda as a leading tourist destination. Indeed, ‘Visit Rwanda’ gained global exposure through branding on matchday LED boards at Emirates Stadium, all the interview backdrops and a broad range of other marketing rights.

In 2019, Rwanda signed a new deal with PSG, making ‘Visit Rwanda’ a Premium Partner of Paris Saint-Germain Football Club.

ALSO READ: 10 things to know about Rwanda-PSG deal

As part of the partnership, a Paris Saint-Germain Football Academy is being established in Huye, in Southern Province.

Should RDB decide not to consider a deal with any other Premier League or Ligue 1 clubs, below are the top European clubs most likely to become Rwanda’s next tourism partner.

Real Madrid

Considering the football clubs that are most followed in social media platforms around the world, in 2021 and 2022, also this year, Real is the most followed football club in the world. The Madrid-based club is therefore worthy of a spot on this list, considering its huge global following, and the fact that it is one of the most decorated clubs in football history.

The club is currently regarded as the most successful football club in the world with 94 trophies.

Barcelona

Another Spanish giant on the list and the most decorated football club in Spain is Barcelona. The Catalan club is also very famous – usually in the top three best-performing European clubs, a worthy feat, considering it has won various domestic and international titles.

Barcelona is one of the most supported teams in the world, and it has been ranked the best club in the world by IFFHS for five years. But, guess what? Even though Real and Barca have an almost equal global appeal, studies suggest that Barcelona are the most popular club in the US ahead of Real Madrid. In March 2023 alone, Real Madrid and Barcelona will meet three times. They face each other over two legs in the semi-final of the Copa del Rey, on Thursday and again, in the return game, on April 5. In the middle of those two matches, they meet at Camp Nou in a critical LaLiga game on March 19.

So, could Rwanda – if Spain is the next destination – pick Barcelona over a Madrid side that won LaLiga and the Champions League last season? We’ll see.

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich, one of the greatest football clubs in the world, are one of five clubs to have won all three of UEFA's main club competitions, the only German club to achieve that.

The club which competes in the Bundesliga, Germany's top tier of football leagues has a record 32 national championships, including 10 straight since 2013, 20 national cups, and countless European awards.

Bayern is the most successful club in German football history.

Juventus

Juventus Football Club, an Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, is also worth a look at.

In the 1985 Intercontinental Cup, it became the first and only team to win all five historical confederation trophies. The club's fan base is the largest in the country and one of the biggest football clubs in the world.

Like in 2022, 2-time UEFA Champions League winner, Italy's most successful club of the 20th century and one of the most successful football clubs in the world, Juventus is the most popular football club in Serie A with millions of followers on social media platforms.

AC Milan

With 19 league titles, Milan is tied as the second most successful club in Serie A behind Juventus. The Rossoneri have seven Champions Leagues (an Italian record) in their trophy cabinet. Only Real Madrid, which boasts 14, is better than them.

But Milan does not appear in the updated list of top 10 football clubs with most fans in the world in 2023.

As such, if Rwanda, for any other business reasons, decides to pick another Premier league club, chances are, it could be either Manchester United, Chelsea, or Liverpool, who appear in the top 10 most followed clubs globally.