June 23 – AC Milan has signed a new partnership with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as part of a broader push to link football with diplomacy, development and international business.
Framed within the Italian government’s Mattei Plan for Africa – a strategy aimed at boosting cooperation and investment across the continent – the agreement was announced this week between the club and the DRC’s Ministry of Tourism.
The deal makes the DRC a ‘Premium Partner’ and the ‘Official Tourism Destination Partner’ of the Rossoneri, with the goal of promoting the country’s natural biodiversity and cultural identity to international audiences. Milan’s commercial platform is expected to help boost tourism and raise the DRC’s profile.
The DRC is currently one of the country’s on US president Donald Trump’s travel ban list.
Beyond branding, the agreement includes a slate of social projects to be rolled out by the club’s charity arm, Fondazione Milan. Initial plans include rebuilding a sports facility for youth and constructing a school in the coastal town of Boma. These projects will be carried out in collaboration with Fondazione Mama Sofia, the non-profit founded by Zakia Seddiki Attanasio, widow of Italy’s former ambassador to the DRC, Luca Attanasio, who was killed in 2021.
AC Milan will also launch its first youth academy in the country under its International Academy programme. It’s a move that taps into the club’s strong following in Central and Sub-Saharan Africa, where Milan claims over 17 million fans.
A club delegation, led by president Paolo Scaroni, is set to visit the DRC at the start of the next season to kick off the partnership and host meetings with local institutions, Italian diplomats and business representatives.
Paolo Scaroni, chairman of AC Milan and Fondazione Milan, said: “As a club, we have chosen to take part in starting an innovative collaboration that aims to contribute to the development plans of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the economic and social spheres, in continuity with the Italian Government’s vision of international cooperation and in line with the objectives of the Mattei Plan for Africa.
“To do this, we want to make use of the role of AC Milan and its Foundation as institutions capable of raising awareness while also generating tangible impact, alongside companies and charities rooted in the territory.”
Didier M’Pambia Musanga, Minister of Tourism of the DRC, added: “This partnership goes beyond usual club sponsorship; it aligns with His Excellency President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi’s strategy to reposition the DRC on the international stage as an undisputed leader on the African continent.
“This is being pursued through active diplomacy – as recently seen at the United Nations Security Council – and through the promotion of our culture, our vast tourism potential, investment opportunities, and the talents of our youth. A National Soft Power Commission has been established for this purpose. The agreement with AC Milan, based in Lombardy – one of Europe’s wealthiest regions with an annual GDP of €952 billion – opens up prospects for a win-win collaboration.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1750703954labto1750703954ofdlr1750703954owedi1750703954sni@g1750703954niwe.1750703954yrrah1750703954