Overview
- A line in a recent interview in which Kylian Mbappé said a favourite meme showed his face over a “Chinese dictator” triggered strong backlash in China and led several Chinese companies to end or suspend commercial ties with the player.
- China Central Television (CCTV) suspended LaLiga broadcasts and removed the competition from its sports menu after the remark, replacing scheduled matches with other programming and leaving no timeline for a resumption.
- Migu, LaLiga’s exclusive digital partner in China, continued streaming most LaLiga matches but specifically omitted Real Madrid fixtures and removed past Real Madrid content from its catalog.
- The Racing de Santander–Real Madrid match, in which Mbappé scored, was not shown on state TV or on Migu, illustrating the targeted exclusion of the club and player from Chinese platforms.
- LaLiga, Real Madrid and Mbappé have issued apologies and LaLiga sent a formal letter to China Media Group, but LaLiga president Javier Tebas warns the dispute threatens sponsorship and merchandise revenue in a key market and the outcome remains uncertain.