Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé Face China’s Broad Sports Veto Over Political Remarks
China maintains its ban on LaLiga broadcasts and rejects apologies from Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid following the striker’s public remarks labeling Mao Zedong a dictator, elmundo.es reported on October 28, 2026. State-backed broadcaster China Media Group acknowledged receiving formal letters of apology from both the player and the club, yet declined to lift its blackout on Spanish football.
Official Apologies Fail to Clear the Veto
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez issued an official statement addressing the controversy, noting that the club “wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for the malestar that the recent words of our player Kylian Mbappé may have caused.” Despite the communication reaching state media channels, authorities have not indicated when or if broadcasts of Real Madrid fixtures will resume in the country.
Club insiders report that leadership views these institutional statements as sufficient to address the diplomatic friction. However, the team now waits to see if Beijing will ease restrictions affecting both the league schedule and the French forward’s commercial partnerships within the Asian market.
Financial Fallout and Diplomatic Damage Control
The diplomatic strain has already affected commercial valuations. Shares of On, the athletic apparel brand endorsed by Mbappé, experienced a notable decline on public markets following the backlash.
The situation has drawn direct intervention from LaLiga leadership. League president Javier Tebas issued a public apology and traveled to meetings with Chinese authorities stationed in Spain to prevent further economic disruption to the competition.
NBA and Premier League Precedents Guide Beijing’s Response
Beijing’s refusal to drop sanctions aligns with previous disputes involving international sports organizations. In October 2019, then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey posted a message supporting anti-government protests in Hong Kong. That action prompted the Chinese Basketball Association to suspend ties with the franchise and led state television to pull NBA broadcasts for nearly a year.
A similar fallout occurred in December 2019 when former Arsenal midfielder Mesut Özil criticized Beijing’s treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang. Turkish center Enes Kanter faced comparable blackouts in 2021 after calling Xi Jinping a dictator during his tenure with the Boston Celtics.
🆕 China has confirmed it will continue to suspend La Liga broadcasts, rejecting Real Madrid’s response to Kylian Mbappé’s comments despite the player’s apology. 😬China is demanding public apologies from Real Madrid, La Liga and Mbappé, as well as a written apology. The… pic.twitter.com/EBIkb8mPXb
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🚨| 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: China has confirmed that it will NOT broadcast LaLiga, considering Real Madrid’s apology over Mbappé’s remarks to be INSUFFICIENT. [@sport] 🇨🇳🔴 pic.twitter.com/pmicXhOLFn
Chinese state television has suspended broadcasts of La Liga matches following remarks by Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe about Mao Zedong, state-owned China Media Group announces. pic.twitter.com/LGYgvZ1oN8
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