China's state broadcaster drops La Liga games after Mbappe remarks
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has not aired La Liga matches since 31 October, including Villarreal's 1-0 loss to Espanyol, as a dispute over Kylian Mbappe's remarks continues. CCTV did not show Real Madrid against Racing Santander on 1 November, which kicked off at 3:15 pm GMT, and no 11th-round La Liga matches were broadcast live on public television. The dispute followed a viral video in which Mbappe called Mao Zedong a dictator. Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga have apologised. China's foreign ministry said it took the apology seriously, but China Media Group says broadcasts will resume only after apologies from La Liga, Mbappe and Real Madrid are received.
Key facts
- China Media Group says broadcasts resume only after apologies from La Liga, Mbappe and Real Madrid.
- Real Madrid's match against Racing Santander was not broadcast by CCTV on 1 November.
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Why it matters
Broadcast suspension affects La Liga's visibility in China, a major media market.
What changed
First published from Bangkok Post, Asharq Al-Awsat and CNA