Story perspectives

CCTV Suspends Mbappé La Liga Matches After Mao Meme

By Drooid · Oct 28, 2026, 02:23 UTC · How we work

Read the story

Story summary

Summary

Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground cut ties with French soccer captain Kylian Mbappé after his Mao meme comment.
Kylian Mbappé issued a multilingual apology on Tuesday, saying his comment was ill-judged and he respects the Chinese people.
La Liga president Javier Tebas apologized and reaffirmed the league’s strategic partnership with China through 2029.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV suspended La Liga matches featuring Mbappé and removed his promotional content.

History

In 2019, massive Hong Kong protests coincided with the U.S. passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act on November 27. Those events set a precedent for how political statements can trigger economic repercussions, prompting multinational firms to reconsider their strategies in China and the broader region and to adjust their market approaches.

1 of 2

Historical Context

In 2019, massive Hong Kong protests coincided with the U.S. passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act on November 27. Those events set a precedent for how political statements can trigger economic repercussions, prompting multinational firms to reconsider their strategies in China and the broader region and to adjust their market approaches.

1 / 2