A question about Kylian Mbappé’s favorite meme has left La Liga trying to protect its relationship with China. Real Madrid has apologized for its forward’s remarks, state television has suspended league broadcasts, and the league has announced plans for a communication protocol involving clubs and players.
Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground have ended their agreements with Mbappé in China. The sponsorship fallout comes weeks after his move from Nike to On, where he’s helping the Swiss brand enter football. The broadcast restrictions extend the consequences beyond his personal partnerships.
The remarks came in a backstage clip associated with the French program The Bridge. Asked about memes featuring himself, Mbappé described an image in which his face appeared on a figure he called a “Chinese dictator.” The accompanying image depicted Mao Zedong, although Mbappé didn’t name him. Such memes caricature the forward’s perceived power within football.
Video: The Bridge, via El Chiringuito TV.
Mao led a one-party dictatorship. He also retains a central place in the Chinese Communist Party’s account of the country’s founding. The party acknowledges serious errors under his leadership, including the Cultural Revolution, while continuing to honor his political legacy. Official responses to Mbappé framed the remark as an offense against Chinese people, extending the dispute beyond a description of Mao’s rule.
Mbappé called his comment “ill-judged” and apologized in French, Chinese and English. Real Madrid then joined him, expressing regret for the upset caused and reaffirming its respect for China and its supporters there.
The broadcast business behind La Liga’s response
China Media Group, which oversees CCTV, said it had suspended broadcasts of La Liga and matches involving Mbappé. It demanded apologies from the forward, Madrid and the league. Before the club issued its formal statement, CMG rejected an explanation attributed to Madrid in Spanish media that Mbappé hadn’t intended to offend and was entitled to express personal views.
CMG’s position placed responsibility on his employer. A player could speak individually, but the broadcaster still expected his club to answer for the consequences. Madrid’s written apology subsequently reached CMG through La Liga. The broadcaster acknowledged receiving it without announcing when coverage would return.
The restrictions vary by platform. Migu’s reported weekend schedule includes nine games, with Real Madrid’s match omitted.
La Liga announced a four-season agreement with Migu in August, covering 2026/27 through 2029/30 and including all 380 league matches each season. The package also covers highlights, on-demand video and short clips.
For the league, the immediate problem is access to an audience. A suspended broadcast affects supporters trying to follow their clubs as well as the organizations selling the rights.
La Liga has apologized on behalf of itself and its clubs while maintaining that Mbappé’s comments were personal. It says it will develop an “awareness and communication protocol” with clubs and players. Its published statement hasn’t specified the rules, penalties or implementation date.
Football already sets boundaries around the access it offers broadcasters. The Premier League’s 2025/26 handbook required mid-match interviews with players to use positive, match-related questions. Mbappé’s appearance on The Bridge was a different setting, outside a league’s matchday coverage, yet the consequences reached that coverage anyway.
The scope of La Liga’s proposed guidance will determine how far its response extends. Explaining the political significance of historical figures would help players understand the settings in which their words might circulate. Requiring permission for interviews or restricting what they can discuss would impose a different obligation.
China’s foreign ministry has said it takes Mbappé’s apology seriously. The immediate question is whether and when broadcasters will restore coverage. Beyond that, La Liga’s next step will show whether protecting its overseas relationships brings new expectations for players who never took part in Mbappé’s interview.
