Mystery surrounds removal of Congo sponsor from Barcelona’s training kits

FC Barcelona have quietly stripped the "RD Congo – Coeur de Afrique" emblem from their training shirts this season, a move that contrasts sharply with Real Madrid’s recent public interest in forward Gilberto Mora.

Barcelona’s vanished Congo logo

Mid‑2025 the Catalan club signed a strategic four‑year deal with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, committing all professional squads to wear the slogan on the back of their training kits until the 2028‑2029 season.

The partnership was projected to generate roughly €44 million for Barcelona, and the logo even appeared as a preferred source on Google during the agreement’s launch.

In recent weeks the emblem disappeared without comment, prompting journalist Steve Wembi to note on X that the slogan no longer features on any training or warm‑up apparel at the start of the 2026‑2027 campaign.

Spanish anti‑corruption prosecutors opened a criminal investigation after two Congolese residents in France reported alleged irregularities in the contract, naming the Congolese sports minister Bambu Ntubuanga and senior Barcelona officials as subjects of the probe.

Despite the controversy, the club has offered no official statement on why the sponsor’s branding has been removed.

Real Madrid eyeing Gilberto Mora

At the same time, media reports indicate that Real Madrid have set their sights on striker Gilberto Mora, a development that has drawn attention away from Barcelona’s sponsorship saga.

The link between the two clubs is highlighted by the parallel timing of Barcelona’s logo removal and Madrid’s pursuit of Mora, underscoring how off‑field issues can dominate headlines for Spain’s biggest teams.