Barcelona Football Club has reached a four-year sponsorship deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo that will see players wear training shirts bearing the slogan “DR Congo – Heart of Africa” from the beginning of next season.

Although the club did not reveal the full value of the agreement, reports indicate the central African nation will spend 44 million euros ($50 million) on the partnership, a move that has sparked sharp criticism at home due to the country’s ongoing conflict and economic challenges.

The deal comes at a time when rebel forces have taken control of large parts of eastern DR Congo.

Despite a recently agreed ceasefire, the fighting has devastated communities and displaced thousands, raising questions among citizens over the government’s decision to commit millions to an international football sponsorship.

However, authorities have defended the partnership, saying it aims to promote the country's image globally. As part of the arrangement, Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium will host what the club has described as an “immersive exhibition… to showcase the cultural diversity and sporting tradition” of DR Congo.

Sports Minister Didier Budimbu explained that the agreement includes a training camp in Spain for 50 young Congolese players and 10 coaches.

Barcelona will also run sports camps in DR Congo for children, covering basketball, handball, and roller hockey in addition to football.

The move mirrors similar tourism-promotion deals that DR Congo has signed with French team AS Monaco and Italian side AC Milan.

In June, Budimbu said such partnerships were part of the country’s broader strategy to reposition itself as a leader in tourism and investment opportunities.

Still, many Congolese remain unconvinced. “When you talk about tourism, it should be about things to see when people come here… for me, rather than investing that money [abroad], they should invest that money to build the country first,” said Kinshasa resident Muzinga Lemfu.

Others support the government’s plan, seeing it as a chance to spotlight the country on the global stage. Freddy Kabengele, another resident of Kinshasa, said he was happy “to show DR Congo off to the world and also to bring tourists to the country”.

DR Congo’s approach echoes Rwanda’s well-known sponsorship of English Premier League club Arsenal, whose players wear “Visit Rwanda” on their shirt sleeves.

Rwanda has also partnered with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

However, those deals have also drawn controversy, especially as Rwanda has been accused of supporting rebel groups involved in the DR Congo conflict—claims it denies.

In February, DR Congo’s Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner wrote to the clubs involved, questioning the “morality” of Rwanda’s partnerships amid the ongoing violence.

Rwanda’s government dismissed the sports-washing accusations, calling them a “distraction.”

Back in DR Congo, critics of the new sponsorship deal warn that the millions spent on global image-building risk overshadowing both the humanitarian crisis in the east and concerns over the government’s human rights record.

A similar attempt by South Africa’s tourism board to seal a deal with Tottenham Hotspur in 2023 collapsed following public backlash.