Overview
- The dispute began in late October when Kylian Mbappé said a meme superimposed his face on a “Chinese dictator,” a remark widely read as a reference to Mao Zedong.
- CCTV suspended LaLiga broadcasts on Monday and remained off the state schedule through Nov. 1, removing recent matches and showing no Real Madrid fixtures in its programming or archives.
- Migu, the exclusive digital rights holder for LaLiga in China through 2029/30, streamed most weekend matches but omitted Racing de Santander–Real Madrid and removed some past Real Madrid content from its service.
- Several Chinese companies ended commercial ties with Mbappé and the player issued apologies in French, English and Chinese while LaLiga’s president sent a letter to China Media Group that was acknowledged but did not prompt a public reinstatement.
- The episode highlights how references tied to Mao Zedong remain politically sensitive in China and underscores the immediate commercial risk to Spanish football from state media actions and platform-level content choices.