Kylian Mbappé’s China backlash hits sponsors and broadcasts

Fortune reported that three Chinese sponsors ended their relationships with Kylian Mbappé within days, while China Media Group, China’s state broadcaster, said it would suspend LaLiga and other games involving the Real Madrid forward.

According to Fortune, Mbappé supplied the trigger during an appearance on a popular French online talk show. He described a meme figure as “a Chinese dictator,” which Fortune reported was widely perceived as a reference to Mao.

Who withdrew, and who responded?

Dongpeng, a beverage maker; Mengniu, a dairy giant; and Milkground, a cheese maker were the companies that cut ties, according to Fortune. The companies did not specify what prompted their decisions.

Mbappé later apologized on X: “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” he wrote.

He added: “I apologize to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.”

Why broadcasters and clubs moved

To contain the fallout, LaLiga president Javier Tebas met with the Chinese ambassador to Spain to “seek solutions that allow us to overcome this episode.”

Tebas said in a statement: “Our commitment is to keep working together so that an individual episode does not harm the important advances achieved nor affect the millions of Chinese fans who follow our competitions.”

Real Madrid also apologized on Wednesday. “Our club maintains a deep respect for China, its history, its culture and its citizens, as well as for the millions of Chinese fans who feel affection and admiration for Real Madrid,” the club said.

What has happened before?

Fortune’s review found a wider pattern. Global brands and celebrities have lost the Chinese market over social media posts, promotional events and trademark lawsuits.

• In 2019, Daryl Morey, then the Houston Rockets’ general manager, posted a tweet in support of protests in Hong Kong. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV pulled NBA games off the air. The blackout lasted until 2022.
• In early 2021, H&M’s decision to stop using cotton from Xinjiang, following concerns over alleged human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims, drew a consumer boycott and severely affected its sales.
• In June 2026, Lululemon had to apologize after a promotional event on the Great Wall of China mistakenly featured a Japanese drum. Chinese netizens pointed out that the brand had used a Japanese taiko instrument rather than a Chinese dagu drum. Lululemon later removed all images related to the drum event from its social media.
• In another recent case, Louis Vuitton faced backlash after it won a trademark infringement case against Chinese milk tea chain Molly Tea. A Chinese court had ruled in June that Molly Tea’s four-petaled logo infringed its trademark and ordered Molly Tea to pay 10.3 million yuan ($1.5 million) in damages.
• The ruling divided Chinese social media. Some users called it unfair, and many boycotted Louis Vuitton. LVMH, Louis Vuitton’s parent, later said the controversy had weighed on its China sales; revenue at its fashion and leather goods division fell 5% on an organic basis.
• In 2024, Chinese bottled-water brand Nongfu Spring faced a public boycott and online backlash after social media users accused it of using Japanese-style imagery on its packaging. Some 7-Eleven stores stopped selling Nongfu products.

What does this change for brands?

For global brands and talent managers, the episode turns reputational exposure into a distribution problem. A single comment produced three sponsor exits, a threatened LaLiga suspension and an apology from Real Madrid within days.

The earlier cases show the same commercial chain: a political or cultural misstep can reach airtime, retail shelves and sales, rather than remaining a social media dispute. Companies pairing global celebrities with Chinese consumers should vet remarks against political and cultural sensitivities, and prepare sponsor and broadcast contingencies before campaigns begin.

The next test is whether China Media Group restores LaLiga and Mbappé game broadcasts after the apologies. Any prolonged absence would extend the dispute beyond Mbappé’s personal sponsorships into league broadcasting and Chinese fan access.