Real Madrid’s away match against Racing de Santander on November 1, 2026 in Santander, Spain was not broadcast in China. Photo: VCG

Spanish football league La Liga President Javier Tebas has acknowledged that the fallout from Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe's inappropriate remarks is creating problems for the Spanish league's sponsorship business.

Speaking at the World in Progress forum in Barcelona on Monday, Tebas admitted that he remained uncertain about how long the situation would continue, despite ongoing communication with Chinese authorities.

"I don't know how long China's boycott will last, but it is a problem for our sponsorships," Tebas said, according to Spanish newspaper El País.

The La Liga chief also stressed the importance of understanding China's history, saying, "You have to know China's history very well."

Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo, citing market sources consulted by Vozpópuli, reported that the league's broadcasting business in China could be worth up to 400 million euros ($447 million) through 2030, equivalent to approximately 100 million euros per season.

Addressing the broader implications of the incident, Tebas noted that football operates within an interconnected commercial and institutional ecosystem, meaning that the actions of individuals can have consequences beyond the people directly involved.

The consequences from Mbappe's inappropriate comments continued to affect the Spanish league's presence in China. China's state broadcaster CCTV did not air any La Liga matches over the weekend. Although streaming platform Migu continued broadcasting other La Liga matches over the weekend, Real Madrid was notably absent from its coverage, with the platform not showing the Spanish giants' match against Racing de Santander on Sunday.

Mbappe's remarks triggered widespread criticism in China and led at least three Chinese companies to end their commercial partnerships with the player.

Mbappe subsequently issued a public apology, acknowledging that his comment had been "ill-judged" and had hurt people in China and Chinese communities around the world. Real Madrid and La Liga also issued apologies.

However, the apologies have not yet resulted in the resumption of La Liga broadcasts on CCTV.

Tebas said he was still in contact with Chinese authorities in both Madrid and Beijing and that dialogues would continue as the league sought to normalize the situation.

"There will be ongoing dialogue - I'm speaking with the Chinese authorities, both in Madrid and in Beijing, and we're going to wait," he was quoted as saying.

The La Liga president highlighted the longstanding relationship between Spanish football and China, including cooperation with Chinese sports authorities, football institutions and media organizations.

He said La Liga had developed a strategy with China's political and sporting authorities over several years and maintained a good relationship with the China Media Group, the parent organization of CCTV.

"I'm going to travel, talk, and keep talking with the Chinese authorities," Tebas said, adding that the league would try everything possible to normalize the situation.