Mbappé Loses Chinese Sponsors After Mao Meme Remarks in 2026

French football star Kylian Mbappé faced major backlash in China after a video circulated in which he appeared to joke about Mao Zedong, referring to him as a dictator. This led to two major Chinese brands, Dongpeng Beverage and Mengniu, terminating their sponsorship deals with Mbappé. His social media accounts on Xiaohongshu and Weibo were muted, and China’s state broadcaster CCTV suspended La Liga matches involving him and pulled related advertisements. The incident has caused significant disruption to broadcasts and brand partnerships in China as of October 27, 2026.

Mbappé issued a public apology on October 27 in Chinese, French, and English, expressing regret over his comments and stating respect for Chinese people and their history. La Liga also released a statement distancing the league from Mbappé’s personal views and expressing regret for the offense caused to Chinese fans. Additionally, other brands like the sportswear company On and Dior reportedly removed Chinese promotional content featuring Mbappé, although they did not announce global contract terminations.

The reaction from Chinese media and government-related entities has been firm, with China Media Group emphasizing that Mbappé’s future actions will be closely observed. The sponsorship terminations and broadcast suspensions demonstrate the commercial impact of the controversy in the Chinese market. This case highlights the significant consequences public figures can face in international markets when making controversial remarks, especially concerning sensitive historical figures.

For investors and companies, this event underlines the risks of reputational damage leading to cut partnerships and revenue losses in key markets like China, especially related to brand ambassadors and sports marketing.