Prime Minister Dr Edouard Ngirente meeting the delegation
Rwanda may be on the brink of expanding its global sports partnerships, with new signals pointing toward Portugal as the next potential destination for the “Visit Rwanda” brand.
At this point though, nothing tangible has been announced, even as we are witnessing increased traffic between Lisbon and Kigali.
Already, it is visible on jerseys of elite clubs like Arsenal (UM), Paris Saint-Germain (France), FC Bayern Munich (Germany), and Atlético de Madrid (Spain).
On June 10, 2025, Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente hosted a delegation from the Portuguese football giant SL Benfica and the Tony Football Excellence Program (TFEP) at his office in Kigali.
The meeting, according to an official statement, centered on deepening cooperation to promote sports in general and develop young football talent in Rwanda.
“This afternoon, Prime Minister Dr. Ngirente Edouard held talks with the Benfica team and the Tony Football Excellence Program in Rwanda, to strengthen cooperation in promoting sports in general and developing young football talents,” read the statement from the Office of the Prime Minister.
The visit builds on ongoing collaboration between the Rwandan government and European football institutions. The Tony Football Excellence Program, launched in Rwanda in October 2022, currently operates in the Musanze and Burera Districts.
It has actively invested in sports infrastructure, including the construction of a synthetic turf pitch expected to be completed this June. The academy also fields teams in Rwanda’s U-17 and U-20 National Championships.
This high-level meeting comes just two months after Rwanda’s Minister of Sports, Nelly Mukazayire, traveled to Lisbon in April 2025, where she held talks with Benfica’s management.
Her visit aimed to enhance cooperation around youth development, infrastructure investment, and Rwanda’s strategic role as a sports hub for European clubs with interests in Africa.
Minister of Sports, Nelly Mukazayire (center) during her tour at the Benfica facilities in Lisbon back in April.
As Rwanda continues to leverage sports as a tool for diplomacy and economic promotion, speculation is growing that SL Benfica could become the next European club to don the “Visit Rwanda” logo—joining a growing list of globally recognized teams already in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
With Benfica’s historic status in European football and Rwanda’s strategic positioning in East Africa, such a partnership would represent a mutually beneficial platform to promote tourism, trade, and investment while also nurturing the next generation of African football stars.
While no formal sponsorship deal has been announced yet, the momentum from this week’s engagement suggests that the path toward a Portugal-Rwanda sports partnership—possibly through jersey sponsorship or broader collaboration—is actively being explored.
Sport Lisboa e Benfica has won Portugal’s domestic football league more than any other team1 and regularly competes against Europe’s best in the UEFA Champion’s League.
To sustain this success, the club has embraced new technologies and developed a focus on innovation, rather than resting on its laurels.
The Portuguese pro football team is using artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to develop young talent into high-caliber athletes and gain a competitive edge.
