AS Monaco make controversial partnership with DR Congo official

After AC Milan, DR Congo has become a premium partner of AS Monaco, signing a deal with the club that runs until 2028, but the two partnerships differ in several respects, notably in terms of visibility.

The key strands of the partnership

Part of the "DR Congo, heart of Africa" drive, the collaboration between AS Monaco and the Democratic Republic of Congo rests on two main strands. The first concerns the development of local football through various training initiatives. On that front, the Principality club has pledged to support "the professionalisation of football in the DRC. This pillar will aim to strengthen local skills, structure development pathways and support the drive to transform Congolese football."

Beyond that, ASM will also "train talents, develop values and build lasting influence for a better future for young people and greater promotion of skills", with the underlying idea of channelling the best talents to the club so they can continue their careers in a professional setting that supports their growth, with a view to turning them into champions like Shabani Nonda and Cédric Mongongou, former Congolese internationals who passed through the Monaco club.

The second strand of the partnership has a diplomatic flavour. AS Monaco wants to act as a lever for Congo's international profile by showcasing its cultural and tourist riches. "Thanks to AS Monaco's international media visibility, the image of the DRC will be highlighted to underline its human potential and vitality, and then to attract and encourage investment", Monaco said.

Read also : DR Congo - AS Monaco: an empty shell of a partnership?

"Hidden" visibility

The problem is that the way this visibility is delivered leaves a lot to be desired. The "R.D. Congo, cœur de l'Afrique" brand will only appear on the sleeve of the shirt in Ligue 1 and the Champions League from the 2025-2026 season. Although the Principality club describe it as "significant exposure", a sleeve placement is far too modest a level of visibility for a "premium partner".

By contrast, the brand will appear on the front of the shirts of Monaco's youth teams (Elite Group, U19, U17), who do not have the international media exposure the club touts as a soft power tool for DR Congo's international appeal. And for a premium partner, this split looks more like camouflage than exposure. ASM does add that the brand's presence "will also extend to the club's home-ground visibility assets and across all its communication platforms, reaching AS Monaco's more than 26 million social media followers directly."

Read also: AC Milan - DRC: behind the partnership

One project, two ministries and two slogans

Normally, projects of this kind are led by the Ministry of Tourism, which works with the Ministry of Sports on certain areas. But in the DRC, each of the two bodies led one of the partnerships. Didier M'Pambia Musanga, Minister of Tourism, handled AC Milan and Didier Budimbu, Minister of Sports, handled Monaco. That points to a lack of cohesion within the government and to the tense sociopolitical climate in the country more generally.

The slogan differs too. AC Milan communicated around the brand "Explore the DRC, heart of Africa". It is a small difference, but one that reveals the discord between the various parties who handled the two partnerships. And given the huge difference in budget between the two deals - 4.8 million euros over three years for Monaco and around 14 million euros per season for Milan - the DRC only has itself to blame.