A million-euro crisis

Mbappé's comments about a Chinese meme involving Mao Zedong sparked a diplomatic crisis; China has cancelled sponsorships and threatened to black out La Liga broadcasts, risking €100m annually.

Kylian Mbappé's remarks about a meme involving Mao Zedong have triggered a major diplomatic row between China and Spanish football. Although Mbappé apologised on Tuesday, China has already begun severing commercial ties with the player and announced it will cut off La Liga broadcasts in the country—a market worth approximately €50m annually in audiovisual rights alone, with total potential losses reaching €100m per season when sponsorships and other agreements are factored in.

The crisis echoes the NBA's experience in 2019, when executive Daryl Morey's support for Hong Kong protests led to a near-total blackout of NBA coverage in China lasting two and a half years. That precedent has alarmed Spanish football, which has spent over a decade building relationships in Asia. Real Madrid and Barcelona have the deepest presence, but Betis, Espanyol and Valencia also rely heavily on Chinese sponsorships, academies and broadcasting deals.

La Liga president Javier Tebas moved swiftly to contain the damage, issuing a formal apology and meeting with China's ambassador to Spain on Tuesday to seek a resolution and preserve the strategic partnership.