Chinese state TV suspends La Liga broadcasts after Mbappé remark about Mao

Who's saying what

• Kylian Mbappé

  In a statement in French, English and Mandarin, he called his comment "ill-judged", said he has "deep respect for the Chinese people and their history" and apologised "to everyone my words have upset".²³

• China's foreign ministry and China Media Group

  Before the apology, a foreign ministry spokesperson said words that hurt the feelings of Chinese people "will naturally be met with opposition". Afterwards the ministry said it took the apology seriously. China Media Group said the remarks "crossed fundamental boundaries" and that the dispute would not be settled without a satisfactory apology from the club.²³⁴

• Real Madrid

  The club apologised to the Chinese people for "any discomfort caused" and said Mbappé had not meant to cause offence.²⁴

• La Liga

  League president Javier Tebas met China's ambassador to Spain to look for a way past the episode, writing that a relationship built over many years "cannot be damaged by a single incident". Reports differ on whether he apologised.²³

What's next

As of 28 October, China Media Group had not said when La Liga broadcasts would resume. Reuters reported that Tebas was considering a trip to China.²⁴

The full story

The row began when a clip of Kylian Mbappé, recorded in April, spread on social media on 26 October. In it he said a meme of his face had been put on "some guy – I think he's a Chinese dictator"; the image was of Mao Zedong. China Media Group, the state media group that runs CCTV, suspended La Liga broadcasts and pulled adverts featuring the Real Madrid forward. Three Chinese companies ended their partnerships with him; according to Le Monde, the Dongpeng and Mengniu contracts were worth about 50 million yuan (€6.7 million) combined. Several international brands removed Mbappé content from their Weibo accounts. Mbappé apologised in three languages, Real Madrid apologised to the Chinese people, and La Liga's president met China's ambassador to Spain. China Media Group said the club's explanation was not enough and named no date for broadcasts to resume.

checked Oct 31, 2026