China Media Group (CMG), the state broadcaster that runs CCTV, has kept La Liga off its channels following the row over comments made by Kylian Mbappé. According to Bongda24h, CMG has confirmed an indefinite suspension of La Liga broadcasts despite the apologies that have been issued. Tuổi Trẻ reported that the suspension took effect on 26 October and covers La Liga matches and Mbappé-related content, with advertisements featuring the France forward also removed.
Mbappé apologised on 27 October. "My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China", he said, according to The Guardian. La Liga also released a statement saying it "deeply regrets the offence that Kylian Mbappé’s recent comments have caused among Chinese fans". On 28 October, however, a spokesperson for CMG's sports and youth centre said the broadcaster did not accept the position attributed to Real Madrid, arguing that the club could not stand apart from the responsibility because Mbappé is its player, Tuổi Trẻ reported, citing Chinese media.
Have Real Madrid apologised? Reports differ
Tuổi Trẻ, in a report published on the afternoon of 28 October, said Real Madrid had not issued an apology of their own. It cited the Spanish outlet OKDiario as saying the club viewed Mbappé's words as a personal remark not intended to offend, and that its Chinese sponsors were maintaining their agreements; Tuổi Trẻ stressed this was not an official club statement and cited Reuters as saying Real declined to comment. According to Tuổi Trẻ, the CMG spokesperson said there was nothing further to discuss until Real Madrid made a satisfactory apology.
The Guardian, by contrast, wrote that Real Madrid apologised on 28 October "to the Chinese people for any offence caused". Bongda24h also reported that Real expressed regret for any offence the comments may have caused, while saying CMG considered the explanations attributed to the club unconvincing. KBVN+ has not been able to verify independently whether Real Madrid have formally apologised.
How the row unfolded
Our timeline, compiled from The Guardian, Tuổi Trẻ and Bongda24h:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Starting point | A video spreads of Mbappé joking about a meme placing his face on an image of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong; brands cut ties with him |
| 26 October | CMG suspends La Liga broadcasts and Mbappé-related content |
| 27 October | Mbappé apologises; La Liga apologises to Chinese fans on behalf of the league and its clubs; the Chinese Football Association protests to Real Madrid and demands public apologies from club and player |
| 28 October | CMG rejects the position attributed to Real; foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun says China takes the individual's apology seriously |
The Guardian noted that most Chinese coverage did not spell out what Mbappé had actually said, even as a hashtag about his apology passed 600m views. Tuổi Trẻ reported that La Liga president Javier Tebas met China's ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing, to try to ease tensions. On the foreign ministry side, Guo said: "We take seriously the apology the individual concerned has made."
The commercial stakes
Bongda24h described China as an important market for top leagues in terms of fans, advertising and broadcast rights. Mark Dreyer, author of Sporting Superpower, told The Guardian that Mbappé's commercial deals in the country could be worth "as much as $30m (£22.6m) per year".
The Guardian also recalled the NBA's experience: its lucrative pre-season games were shut out of China for six years after then Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey's 2019 comments on Hong Kong. La Liga may fare better, the paper suggested, with CCTV saying it would listen to what Mbappé had to say and, "more importantly", watch what he does.
What comes next
According to Bongda24h, there is no indication yet that CMG will change its stance or of when La Liga might return to Chinese screens. Given CMG's demand, Real Madrid's next move is likely to determine whether talks can resume.