Chinese broadcaster demands Real Madrid apology over Mbappé dispute

China Media Group (CMG) has rejected Real Madrid’s reported explanation of Kylian Mbappé’s remarks about China and demanded a formal public apology before further discussions, deepening the broadcasting and commercial crisis facing Spanish football.The state broadcaster, which oversees CCTV, confirmed that it had suspended LaLiga matches, other games featuring Mbappé and advertisements involving the player following the controversy.A spokesperson for CMG’s Sports and Youth Programming Center said: “Mbappé is a Real Madrid player, and the club cannot shirk its responsibility. Therefore, we do not accept Real Madrid’s explanation that Mbappé ‘never intended to offend’ and its assertion that players have the right to express their personal views. We do not accept the club’s attitude.”The intervention followed reports that Madrid considered its Chinese sponsorship relationships unchanged and believed its commercial partners understood the remarks as a personal expression without any intention to offend.CMG challenged that position and made clear that apologies from the player and LaLiga had not resolved its objections to the club’s handling of the incident.The spokesperson continued: “We reiterate that words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally meet collective opposition from all sectors of Chinese society. We hope Real Madrid will not indulge in wishful thinking. Until Real Madrid’s apology is adequate, there is nothing further to discuss.”The dispute centres on an interview clip in which Mbappé discussed a meme placing his face over a portrait of Mao Zedong and referred to a “Chinese dictator”.Mbappé issued an apology on Tuesday, acknowledging that his comments had caused hurt in China and among Chinese communities overseas.Tebas has also apologised and met China’s ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing, as LaLiga attempts to prevent the controversy from causing lasting damage to its relationships in the country.The LaLiga president said: “Today I held a meeting with the Chinese ambassador to Spain to address the situation caused by Kylian Mbappé’s statements and seek solutions that will allow us to overcome this episode."Over the last few years, from LALIGA we have worked hand in hand with the Chinese authorities, football institutions, audiovisual operators, and companies in the country to boost the growth and popularity of Spanish football in China, but also to contribute to the development and growth of Chinese football itself, sharing our experience, knowledge, and resources."A relationship built on mutual respect, trust, and cooperation that we must preserve and continue to strengthen. Our commitment is to keep working together so that an individual episode does not harm the important advances achieved nor affect the millions of Chinese fans who follow our competitions."CMG said its leadership had written to Tebas requesting prompt public apologies from Madrid and Mbappé, alongside a written apology to the broadcaster.According to CMG’s account of his reply, Tebas said: “I want to express our immediate and clear condemnation of the conduct of player Kylian Mbappé. This is unacceptable behavior and does not represent the values of our games or Spanish football. We understand the outrage this incident has sparked in China and sincerely apologize for the offense caused.”In the same correspondence, Tebas stressed the importance of maintaining the relationship between Spanish football and its Chinese partners.He continued: “I wish to personally convey our respect to the Chinese people, together with our firm commitment to the relationship built over many years. We are taking appropriate measures to handle this situation with the utmost seriousness and will keep you updated on the actions we take.”CCTV acquired free-to-air and pay-TV rights for the current LaLiga season in August, making the suspension an interruption to a recently agreed broadcast partnership.LaLiga also has a separate four-season agreement with China Mobile’s Migu, covering all 380 league matches each season from 2026/27 to 2029/30, alongside highlights and on-demand content.The CCTV decision does not establish that Migu has suspended coverage, but it has widened the consequences beyond Mbappé’s individual endorsement business.Dongpeng Beverage, Mengniu and Milkground have ended their commercial cooperation with the French forward, while Chinese platforms have removed content featuring him.Mengniu said: “With immediate effect our company is terminating all cooperation with Kylian Mbappé. Mengniu firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.”The immediate effect on LaLiga’s broadcast income remains unclear, with any financial consequences dependent on contractual terms and the duration of the suspension.Madrid also has merchandise and commercial interests in the market, including its official Tmall Global store, launched in 2025, although the loss of Mbappé’s personal endorsements does not establish that the club’s own sponsorship agreements have ended.CMG’s demand now places Madrid’s response at the centre of efforts to restore relations, with the broadcaster maintaining that an adequate club apology is a prerequisite for further talks.