OCTOBER 28, 2026, 4:34 PM
OFFICIAL — LALIGA ISSUES A STATEMENT
LaLiga has published an official statement expressing regret for the distress and offence caused among Chinese fans by comments made by Kylian Mbappé. The organisation stressed that the player spoke in a personal capacity and did not represent the league or its clubs.
President Javier Tebas offered a personal apology and said an individual episode should not damage the relationship built with China, its sporting institutions, audiovisual partners and the millions who follow Spanish football.
HOW THE ISSUE ESCALATED
The controversy grew after an earlier video resurfaced in which Mbappé commented on a meme comparing him with Mao Zedong. The Real Madrid forward also apologised, calling the remark ill-judged and saying he had not intended to hurt anyone.
Reuters reported that the backlash in China brought consequences involving brands linked to the player and affected broadcasts of Spanish football. Tebas also met China’s ambassador to Spain to discuss the situation and possible ways to move beyond it.
WHAT IS KNOWN—AND WHAT IS NOT
The apologies from LaLiga and Tebas are official. No sporting sanction, match suspension or federation disciplinary case against Mbappé has been announced. At this stage, the issue concerns public reaction, broadcasts and institutional and commercial relationships.
SOURCES — LaLiga, October 27, 2026: https://www.laliga.com/en-GB/news/laliga-and-its-president-javier-tebas-apologise-to-chinese-fans · Reuters, October 27, 2026: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/mbappe-dropped-by-chinese-brands-over-alleged-mao-meme-comments-2026-10-27/
