Mbappé's Mao joke keeps La Liga off Chinese state TV for second weekend
Chinese state TV blocked La Liga matches for a second straight weekend after Mbappé joked about Mao Zedong.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV pulled La Liga coverage for a second consecutive weekend following a joke by Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé about Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China. The incident originated when Mbappé made comments referencing Mao that drew swift anger in China, one of European football's most commercially significant overseas markets. CCTV's decision to withhold broadcasts means millions of Chinese viewers have now missed multiple rounds of La Liga fixtures, with no official statement from the broadcaster explaining when — or if — coverage would resume. The blackout reflects the sensitivity surrounding Mao's image in China, where public criticism or mockery of the former leader remains politically taboo and can trigger rapid institutional responses. Beyond television, the controversy has extended into gaming: FC Online, a popular football video game in China, announced it is preparing in-game adjustments in response to the Mbappé controversy, though the specific nature of those changes was not detailed in available reporting. The dual impact — on broadcast rights and on a major gaming title — illustrates how quickly reputational controversies involving Chinese political figures can ripple through commercial partnerships that depend on access to the Chinese market.
Why it matters
China is one of the largest and most lucrative overseas audiences for European football, so an extended broadcast blackout threatens significant revenue and viewership for La Liga and its clubs. The episode also signals to athletes and sports organizations how swiftly comments touching on Chinese political figures can disrupt commercial relationships.
What's next
Whether CCTV reinstates La Liga broadcasts — and how FC Online ultimately modifies Mbappé's in-game presence — will signal how long and how broadly the commercial fallout from the controversy extends.
Key facts
- Chinese state television CCTV withheld La Liga broadcasts for at least two consecutive weekends following the Mbappé incident
- The controversy stems from a joke Mbappé made referencing Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the People's Republic of China
- Mbappé plays for Real Madrid, one of the world's most commercially prominent football clubs
- FC Online, a football video game with a significant Chinese player base, announced it is preparing in-game adjustments in response to the controversy
- No official statement from CCTV or Chinese authorities has explained the scope or duration of the broadcast suspension
Bias & framing notes
Malay Mail focused on the broadcast blackout and its political context, framing the story around censorship and Chinese sensitivity to Mao's image. InvenGlobal covered the gaming angle exclusively, with no political framing. Neither source provided direct quotes from Mbappé's original comments, CCTV, or Chinese officials, limiting the ability to fully verify the precise nature of the joke or the official reasoning behind the blackout.
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