The China business figures at risk after Mbappé's Mao Zedong remark

The controversy sparked by Kylian Mbappé after he called Mao Zedong a dictator has shaken Spanish football and highlighted the economic weight of China for LaLiga. The league and its president, Javier Tebas, rushed to publish statements on social media distancing themselves from the French forward's words and showing support for China and its people. "We sincerely regret the damage these statements may have caused," Tebas wrote. The swift response was no accident: business with the Asian giant is among the most important for the competition.

• LaLiga has a deal with Migu, a China Mobile subsidiary, to broadcast 380 matches per season until 2030.
• The Migu platform has more than 520 million subscribers and grows over 8% annually.
• Mbappé's words generated more than 430 million views on Weibo.
• China accounts for between 10% and 15% of Real Madrid's international merchandising revenue.
• Chinese state broadcaster CCTV stopped airing two free-to-air matches in response to the controversy.

LaLiga's deal with Migu and China Mobile: 380 matches per season until 2030

On August 3, LaLiga announced an agreement with Chinese company Migu, a subsidiary of China Mobile, the country's state-owned telecommunications firm. The deal includes the broadcast of all 380 matches per season, along with other audiovisual content, and runs until 2030. According to a report by Phillip Securities Group, the business volume linked to China Mobile, which includes LaLiga matches, is close to 4 billion euros annually. Migu has more than 520 million subscribers on its platform and an annual growth rate above 8%.

How much LaLiga earns from international broadcasting rights

LaLiga's latest economic and financial report, for the 2024/25 season, puts broadcasting rights revenue at 1.576 billion euros. Around 40% of that amount —roughly 748 million— comes from international markets. China and the United States are the competition's most important revenue sources outside Spain and contribute most of those 748 million euros generated by the league's matches being watched around the world.

LaLiga's push into China: offices, scheduling and social media

LaLiga's relationship with China began twelve years ago, when the league opened one of its first international offices in the country. It now has two hubs, in Shanghai and Beijing, plus a delegation in Hong Kong focused on commercial and sponsorship deals. Five years ago, according to the latest available data, the business volume of those offices exceeded 11 million euros.

To boost its presence in the Asian market, LaLiga began scheduling matches at 1:00 p.m. in Spain, which is 7:00 p.m. in Beijing. Currently, midday fixtures take place on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. The strategy has helped grow the audience in the Asian giant, where the Spanish competition positions itself as one of the most followed among European leagues, with millions of followers on Weibo and WeChat.

Tebas' response and the fallout on Chinese television

Javier Tebas held a meeting with Yao Jing, China's ambassador to Spain, to reaffirm the existing alliances, including the Migu agreement and the strategic partnership with the Chinese Professional Football League. "Our commitment is to keep working together so that an individual episode does not damage the important progress made or affect the millions of Chinese fans who follow our competitions," the LaLiga president said.

The Real Madrid player's words surpassed 430 million views on Weibo. The league is working to ensure that Migu, the pay platform, does not follow the path of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, which stopped airing two free-to-air matches it had been offering in response to the French forward's remarks.

Real Madrid's stake in China: top-selling shirt and image rights

LaLiga and Tebas' quick response contrasted with the silence of Real Madrid, which did not comment on the controversy. The Spanish club owns 20% of Mbappé's image rights, meaning his words could also affect the club's interests. Between 10% and 15% of the club's international merchandising revenue comes from China, where the French striker's shirt is the best-selling.

The scale of the Chinese market was clear with the first match of Wu Lei, the first Chinese player to score in LaLiga with Espanyol in 2019: 40 million viewers watched that game in his home country. In Spain, Barcelona against Real Madrid drew 2.759 million viewers. Had the controversy gone viral before the clásico, the most-watched club match in the world could not have been broadcast in China.

Frequently asked questions about Mbappé's controversy and LaLiga's China business