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Formula One will return to Africa for the first time in more than three decades after Rwanda secured a 10-year contract to host a Grand Prix from the early 2030s. The sport’s chief, Stefano Domenicali, described the agreement as a “landmark” moment.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has presented the race as an opportunity to attract visitors and investment and raise the country’s international profile. But his government has long faced accusations of abuses against political opponents, journalists and other critics, CNN reported.
The event is to be branded the “Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda”, the country’s tourism-promotion campaign. While Domenicali said Formula One was “showing the world what it means to be a country that has a vision”, rights groups have criticised Rwanda’s use of sport to promote itself. Allegations that the country supports M23 rebels in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have also raised questions about the image it seeks to project.
Rwanda’s sports partnerships and the planned circuit
Rwanda has spent years using sports partnerships to build its international profile. Its “Visit Rwanda” campaign has partnered with European soccer clubs including “Arsenal”, “Paris Saint-Germain”, “Atlético Madrid” and “Bayern Munich”, although the arrangements have differed. “Arsenal”’s eight-season partnership ended in June 2026, while “Paris Saint-Germain”’s deal runs through 2028. “Bayern Munich” redirected its agreement towards youth development in Kigali after criticism of the partnership.
In July, English Premier League club “Aston Villa” signed a multi-year “Visit Rwanda” sponsorship agreement reportedly worth about £20 million, or roughly $26.8 million, a year. Human rights campaigners, including Amnesty International UK, criticised the deal, arguing it could improve Rwanda’s image abroad despite concerns about repression at home and its alleged role in the conflict in eastern DRC. Critics have described such partnerships as “sportswashing”.
Hosting a Grand Prix would extend that approach beyond soccer sponsorships. The event would bring teams, corporate partners, international media and spectators to Rwanda, offering opportunities to promote tourism and attract business. The government says it hopes the race will create jobs, develop local skills and deliver lasting economic benefits.
Itamar Dubinsky, a senior lecturer in African studies and politics at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev who researches sport and politics in Africa, told CNN that hosting a race differs from buying exposure through soccer-club sponsorships: it would bring the sport’s international network directly into the country.
The race is planned for a new circuit in Bugesera, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Kigali, as part of a wider development project led by the Rwanda Development Board. Construction must be completed before the race can take place, but Formula One has not announced an inaugural date. Its public announcement did not set out how the project would be financed or the returns expected from it.
Questions remain about the cost, possible public investment and how the venue would be used outside race weekends.
Human rights concerns and the conflict in eastern DRC
Rwanda wants to be seen as a destination for tourists and investors and as a country able to host major international events. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has documented restrictions on political opposition, independent media and dissent under Kagame. In a report published this month, it warned that the Grand Prix could put journalists and vulnerable communities at risk.
Lewis Mudge, HRW’s Central Africa director, said Formula One had not explained how it would assess the agreement’s human rights implications.
“Formula One talks only about the social and economic impact of this deal but, to date, we’ve seen no language with regard to what effect this could have on the human rights outlook in Rwanda,” he told CNN.
Mudge said Rwanda had barred three HRW staff members from entering the country because of their work. He also referred to the organisation’s documentation of authorities detaining homeless people and street vendors ahead of major events. Before an international conference in Kigali in 2021, some of the city’s poorest residents were held in a warehouse described as a transit centre until foreign visitors had left, according to HRW.
HRW has urged Formula One to assess human rights risks, consult civil society and put measurable protections in place for journalists covering the event. Formula One has not publicly confirmed that it will adopt those recommendations.
Formula One defended its decision to hold the race in Rwanda, telling CNN it had a “long track record of delivering significant economic, social and cultural value to our host nations”. A spokesperson said the event could inspire the sport’s more than 100 million fans across Africa and that Formula One believed sport could be “a positive force for good”.
The organisation also pointed CNN to comments by Domenicali, who highlighted the potential for tourism, investment, skills development and business growth. It said it had spent years looking for the right partner for its return to Africa and that several parties had expressed interest.
However, Formula One’s announcement did not explain how potential hosts were assessed or how human rights concerns factored into Rwanda’s selection. CNN said it had asked follow-up questions about safeguards and due diligence but had not received a response.
Kate Hixon, Africa advocacy director for Amnesty International USA, said Formula One should investigate whether money it receives from Rwanda could be linked to minerals obtained through abusive operations in eastern DRC. Amnesty has reported abuses against miners in areas seized by M23 and alleged that gold and coltan are smuggled into Rwanda. Hixon urged Formula One to publish its due diligence findings.
“Racing fans deserve assurances that money generated from the M23’s abuses is not funding the Grand Prix,” she told CNN.
CNN said it had contacted the Rwanda Development Board and the Rwandan government spokesperson for comment but had not received a response.
United Nations experts have documented Rwandan military support for M23 rebels, who have seized territory in eastern DRC. Rwanda disputes allegations about its involvement. The conflict has displaced communities and caused widespread civilian suffering.
The human rights observer Healing and Rebuilding our Communities (HROC RDC) described Rwanda’s international image as mixed, citing recognition for development and infrastructure alongside allegations of involvement in the conflict. It told CNN that the contrast with civilian suffering in eastern DRC had fuelled frustration and called for civilian protection, transparency and accountability.
DRC Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner also criticised the decision to hold a Grand Prix in Rwanda, calling it “morally indefensible” and saying it “would help polish the image of an authoritarian leader”.
Jacques Issongo, of the Congolese civil society movement LUCHA, said Rwanda’s sports partnerships were intended to divert attention from the conflict.
“By multiplying major partnerships with global sporting giants such as Formula One, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, Rwanda is creating a media and diplomatic diversion,” he told CNN.
Africa’s previous Formula One races
Africa’s last Formula One World Championship race took place in South Africa in 1993. South Africa hosted 23 championship races, while Morocco held one in 1958.
The 1985 South African Grand Prix was held during apartheid. French teams “Renault” and “Ligier” did not attend, in opposition to the country’s racial policies. Formula One did not return in 1986 as international protests against apartheid intensified. It came back in 1992 and 1993 as the apartheid regime was dismantled, but financial problems again ended the South African Grand Prix.
Since then, the high cost of hosting a Grand Prix, infrastructure requirements and competition for a place on the calendar have prevented the sport from returning to Africa.
Rwanda hopes to overcome those barriers, but hosting the race is only one part of the challenge. Dubinsky said the key question was what would remain after the cameras left. He warned that an expensive circuit with limited use could become a “white elephant”.
He said the race’s success would depend on whether it delivered lasting economic and social benefits and whether those benefits outweighed the negative attention the deal might bring.
Mudge said a broader concern was whether Rwanda’s pursuit of international recognition would overshadow its human rights record and undermine efforts to improve it.
“Rwanda is run by a government that is very protective of its global image no matter the cost,” he said.
