According to a post by the Office of the President on X, President Kagame attended the annual European season curtain-raiser, featuring PSG, the reigning UEFA Champions League winners, and Aston Villa, the UEFA Europa League winners and Visit Rwanda’s newest football partner.

PSG emerged victorious, defeating Aston Villa 2-1 to retain the UEFA Super Cup for a second consecutive year.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring for PSG in the 20th minute before Aston Villa equalised through 17-year-old Brian Madjo. Madjo, making his competitive debut for the English club, became the youngest player to start and score in a UEFA Super Cup final.

PSG restored their advantage in the 61st minute when Désiré Doué converted a pass from Ousmane Dembélé. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but was awarded following a video review after Aston Villa defender Matty Cash was judged to have marginally played Doué onside.

The victory gave PSG their second successive UEFA Super Cup title and marked the beginning of a season in which the French side could compete for as many as six trophies.

The match also highlighted the growing visibility of Visit Rwanda's partnerships with major international football clubs.

Rwanda announced its partnership with Aston Villa in July, naming Visit Rwanda the English club's Official Front-of-Shirt Partner, Official Tourism Partner and Official Coffee Provider. The agreement covers Aston Villa's men's, women's and youth teams, with the Visit Rwanda brand appearing on their shirts across domestic and European competitions.

The partnership is designed to promote Rwanda as a tourism, investment and business destination while using Aston Villa's international reach to expand the country's visibility in key global markets.

The agreement also includes international marketing campaigns, digital content, fan engagement initiatives and branding at Villa Park. Beyond commercial activities, the partnership provides for football development programmes, coach education, academy exchanges, charitable initiatives and leadership programmes in Rwanda.

The Aston Villa deal adds to Visit Rwanda's established sports partnerships, including its collaboration with PSG, as well as partnerships involving Atlético de Madrid, the Basketball Africa League, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Rams.

Rwanda has increasingly used international sport as a platform for tourism promotion and economic development. The country recorded 9.4 percent economic growth in 2025, while tourism and conference activities generated a record $685 million in revenues, according to figures from the Rwanda Development Board.

Rwanda is targeting $1.1 billion in annual tourism revenues and $4.6 billion in private investment by 2029, with officials positioning international sports partnerships as part of efforts to attract visitors, investors and business opportunities.