Formula 1 Set to Return to Africa With 10-Year Rwanda Deal

Formula 1 has announced a 10-year agreement to bring the sport back to Africa, with Rwanda set to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix in the early 2030s.

In a statement on Tuesday, October 13, Formula 1 said the race will join the Formula 1 calendar after the completion of a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, Rwanda.

Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said the agreement would expand the sport's global reach and bring it closer to fans across Africa and other parts of the world.

"With Rwanda joining the calendar from the next decade, our sport will race in every inhabited continent, bringing the World Championship closer than ever to fans around the globe," he said.

Domenicali said Formula 1 had been committed to returning to Africa through a partnership that would support long-term development and deliver meaningful benefits.

"Africa has always been part of Formula 1’s future, and from the beginning we were determined to return in the right way, with the right partner, a long-term commitment and a clear vision for creating meaningful impact," he added.

Domenicali added that the return would give millions of African fans an opportunity to experience the sport more closely, noting that the continent already had a substantial and rapidly growing fan base.

"For our fans, this is an especially exciting moment. Africa is home to more than 100 million Formula 1 fans, and that number continues to grow rapidly. We are bringing the excitement, energy and drama of Formula 1 closer to millions of people who have waited a long time to see our sport return to the continent, and we look forward to writing an exciting new chapter together," he further said.

Rwanda President Paul Kagame welcomed the agreement, describing it as a historic moment for Africa after more than 30 years without hosting the world's premier motorsport championship.

"Today belongs to Africa. For more than three decades, the world’s premier motorsport championship has raced without this continent, and that changes with this agreement," he wrote.

Kagame said Rwanda was proud to host the race and give African fans, particularly young people, an opportunity to connect with the sport and pursue careers across the motorsport industry.

"Rwanda is proud to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, and to share this moment with more than 100 million fans across Africa, many of them young people who deserve to see the sport at home and to see themselves in it: as engineers, technicians, entrepreneurs and, one day, drivers," he added.

Kagame added that the 10-year partnership was intended to generate long-term economic benefits through employment, skills development, tourism and business opportunities.

"This 10-year partnership is also an investment in Rwanda’s future. The circuit in Bugesera, alongside the new international airport, will bring jobs, skills, tourism and new business to our country and our region for decades to come, because our aim was never a single race weekend, but a lasting benefit for our people," he further said.

According to Formula 1, the new circuit will be built to meet Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Grade 1 standards, the highest circuit certification required to host F1 races.

The circuit will sit adjacent to the new Kigali International Airport. 

Its design will incorporate the area's natural landscape and elevation changes to create a challenging racing experience while providing spectators with exceptional viewing opportunities.

Beyond Formula 1 race weekends, the venue is expected to operate throughout the year, hosting international motorsport competitions, major events, conferences and entertainment activities.

This comes months after Aston Villa Football Club announced a multi-year partnership with Visit Rwanda, making the tourism brand the club’s new front-of-shirt sponsor.

The deal, unveiled on July 14, will see the Visit Rwanda logo appear on the front of Aston Villa’s men’s, women’s, and academy team shirts starting from the 2026/27 season.

Beyond shirt branding, Visit Rwanda will serve as the club’s Official Tourism Partner and Official Coffee Provider. 

The partnership also encompasses collaboration on football development, coaching education, academy exchanges, and charitable initiatives within Rwanda .

Aston Villa’s President of Business Operations, Francesco Calvo, welcomed the deal as a sign of the club’s expanding global footprint.

"This is a very exciting partnership for Aston Villa Football Club and a symbol of the club’s continuing expansion and growth into international markets.

"There is a great range and depth of opportunities for collaboration, learning and innovation, and we are looking forward to working with Visit Rwanda to deliver meaningful activations through tourism, investment and sporting development," he said.

Janet Karemera, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Convention Bureau, framed the sponsorship as part of a broader national strategy.

"This sponsorship is a powerful expression of Rwanda’s ambition to engage global audiences through one of the world’s most influential platforms and position our country as a destination to visit, invest and do business. 

"Bringing together the Land of a Thousand Hills and the City of a Thousand Trades celebrates a shared commitment to enterprise, innovation and ambition," she stated.

Visit Rwanda also maintains partnerships with Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich, and several U.S. sports organizations.