China’s State Broadcaster Omits Real Madrid Match After Mbappé’s Mao Remark

Overview

• The episode began earlier in the week when Kylian Mbappé referenced a meme that links his image to Mao Zedong and later issued a written apology saying he was sincerely sorry.
• Three Chinese companies that used Mbappé’s name and image have announced they are terminating endorsement deals with the player.
• China Media Group/CCTV announced a suspension of LaLiga broadcasts and did not show the Racing Santander–Real Madrid match on November 1, while other league fixtures continued to appear on some platforms.
• The Racing–Real match also appeared absent from Migu, a major Chinese streaming service, even though other matches from the same round were available there, suggesting a selective blackout rather than a full ban.
• LaLiga said it had previously had all matches shown in China and formally deplored the remarks, and Chinese authorities said they were taking Mbappé’s apology seriously, a signal that further commercial or broadcast consequences remain possible.