Real Madrid continues to face a broadcast blackout on Chinese state television as the ongoing fallout from Kylian Mbappe's remarks about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong keeps Spanish league matches off public screens. Neither of the two sports channels operated by the state broadcaster CCTV aired the club's fixture against Racing Santander, marking the continued absence of Real Madrid games from public television since the controversy began.
The dispute stems from a viral video from April in which Mbappe referred to Mao as a dictator while discussing an internet meme that superimposed the footballer's face onto an image of the former leader. The remarks sparked widespread backlash in China, prompting the China Media Group, which oversees CCTV, to suspend broadcasts of La Liga fixtures on October 26.
While Mbappe, Real Madrid, and La Liga have all issued apologies for the ill-judged comments, and China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted it took the player's regret seriously, public broadcasts have not resumed. The governing body previously stated that apologies were an absolute prerequisite for moving past the issue, though it remains unclear whether formal talks to completely defuse the situation have progressed.
While state television has refrained from airing Real Madrid, digital streaming services such as Migu have carried other matches from the Spanish league, including Barcelona's recent win over Alaves. Meanwhile, Mbappe has faced additional repercussions in the region, including muted social media accounts and the cancellation of sponsorship deals with major Chinese brands.
The incident highlights the sensitivity of political topics involving China's modern history, mirroring previous high-profile disputes such as the multi-year freeze on NBA broadcasts following a general manager's tweet supporting Hong Kong protesters in 2019. Real Madrid's management noted that the club has fulfilled its responsibility to address the matter, but the timeline for a full restoration of broadcast privileges on state television remains uncertain.