AsiaDevelopingDay 2
China broadcast blackout of Spanish football
CCTV did not air the Real Madrid–Racing Santander match, its overseer said it would halt La Liga broadcasts, and after a viral video of Mbappe calling Mao Zedong a "dictator".
Updated 08:36 UTC, 2 November 2026 · 3 reports from 3 outlets · 6 confirmed · 8 one-source
Image: Al Jazeera
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People, places & organisations
What changed
Last 48 hours, newest first (times UTC)
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Ghost edit BBC World News edited "China state broadcaster CCTV pulls La Liga matches following Mbappé joke": 1 added
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Where it stands CCTV did not air the Real Madrid–Racing Santander match, its overseer said it would halt La Liga broadcasts, and after a viral video of Mbappe calling Mao Zedong a "dictator".
10 earlier changes
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Story opened Chinese state television is not broadcasting Real Madrid and La Liga matches following a row over a Kylian Mbappe joke about Mao.
Two sides
The two media blocs whose accounts of this story differ most, side by side.
Where they part European media centres Mbappe's apology and the broadcaster's pullout, while Middle East state media foregrounds cancelled Chinese sponsorships and the foreign ministry's response.
European media
BBCPublic broadcaster
European media, led by the BBC, foregrounds the broadcaster's pullout and the fallout around Mbappé, centring his apology and Chinese officials' responses. It quotes Mbappé saying 'My comment was ill-judged' and China Media Group calling apologies 'an absolute prerequisite', while noting the match result and brands dropping him. The report ties the suspension to the 'furore' over his remark.
Middle East state media
Al JazeeraState mediaTRT WorldState media
Middle East state media foregrounds the commercial and diplomatic fallout, noting that 'Major Chinese brands cancelled sponsorship deals with Mbappe' and centring the China Media Group's demand that apologies were 'an absolute prerequisite'. Al Jazeera and TRT World quote the Chinese foreign ministry taking the player's apology 'seriously' and report that none of the other matchweek 11 games has been shown live on public television.
How it’s being told
One card per media bloc. Each summary is written only from that bloc’s own headlines and quotes.
European media
BBCPublic broadcaster
European media, led by the BBC, foregrounds the broadcaster's pullout and the fallout around Mbappé, centring his apology and Chinese officials' responses. It quotes Mbappé saying 'My comment was ill-judged' and China Media Group calling apologies 'an absolute prerequisite', while noting the match result and brands dropping him. The report ties the suspension to the 'furore' over his remark.
Middle East state media
Al JazeeraState mediaTRT WorldState media
Middle East state media foregrounds the commercial and diplomatic fallout, noting that 'Major Chinese brands cancelled sponsorship deals with Mbappe' and centring the China Media Group's demand that apologies were 'an absolute prerequisite'. Al Jazeera and TRT World quote the Chinese foreign ministry taking the player's apology 'seriously' and report that none of the other matchweek 11 games has been shown live on public television.
In their words
What the people at the centre of this story said, word for word, with the article each quote appeared in.
My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world
Receipts
Every claim with the verbatim sentence it came from. Tap a claim to see its sources.
Confirmed 6
Reported by at least two independent outlets, or by the actor itself.
Major Chinese brands cancelled sponsorship deals with Mbappe after his comments.
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“Major Chinese brands cancelled sponsorship deals with Mbappe after his comments.”
TRT WorldState mediaReportsChina skips Real Madrid match broadcast amid row over Mbappe's Mao joke
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“China Media Group, CCTV's parent organisation, said last Tuesday it would suspend broadcasts of Spanish football La Liga matches following the furore, which also led to Mbappé being dropped by several Chinese brands.”
BBCPublic broadcasterReportsChina state broadcaster pulls La Liga matches following Mbappé joke
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“Major Chinese brands cancelled sponsorship deals with Mbappe after his comments.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsChinese state TV continues Real Madrid blackout after Mbappe-Mao meme row
China's foreign ministry said it took Mbappe's apology "seriously".
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“Mbappe, Real and La Liga later all said sorry for his remarks, and China's foreign ministry said it took the player's apology"seriously".”
TRT WorldState mediaAttributesChina skips Real Madrid match broadcast amid row over Mbappe's Mao joke
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“China's foreign ministry had said it took Mbappé's apology"seriously".”
BBCPublic broadcasterAttributesChina state broadcaster pulls La Liga matches following Mbappé joke
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“Mbappe, Real and La Liga later all apologised for his remarks, and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it took the player’s apology “seriously”.”
Al JazeeraState mediaAttributesChinese state TV continues Real Madrid blackout after Mbappe-Mao meme row
Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga all apologised for Mbappe's remarks.
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“Mbappe, Real and La Liga later all said sorry for his remarks, and China's foreign ministry said it took the player's apology"seriously".”
TRT WorldState mediaReportsChina skips Real Madrid match broadcast amid row over Mbappe's Mao joke
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“Mbappe, Real and La Liga later all apologised for his remarks, and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it took the player’s apology “seriously”.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsChinese state TV continues Real Madrid blackout after Mbappe-Mao meme row
The body overseeing CCTV said it would halt broadcasts of La Liga.
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“A viral video in recent days showed Mbappe referring to Mao as a"dictator", prompting the body overseeing CCTV to say it would halt broadcasts of the top Spanish league.”
TRT WorldState mediaAttributesChina skips Real Madrid match broadcast amid row over Mbappe's Mao joke
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“China Media Group, CCTV's parent organisation, said last Tuesday it would suspend broadcasts of Spanish football La Liga matches following the furore, which also led to Mbappé being dropped by several Chinese brands.”
BBCPublic broadcasterAttributesChina state broadcaster pulls La Liga matches following Mbappé joke
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“It resulted in the body overseeing CCTV saying it would halt broadcasts of the top Spanish league.”
Al JazeeraState mediaAttributesChinese state TV continues Real Madrid blackout after Mbappe-Mao meme row
A viral video showed Mbappe calling Mao Zedong a "dictator".
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“A viral video in recent days showed Mbappe referring to Mao as a"dictator", prompting the body overseeing CCTV to say it would halt broadcasts of the top Spanish league.”
TRT WorldState mediaReportsChina skips Real Madrid match broadcast amid row over Mbappe's Mao joke
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“Mbappe referred to Mao as a “dictator” in a video from April that went viral recently.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsChinese state TV continues Real Madrid blackout after Mbappe-Mao meme row
CCTV did not broadcast the Real Madrid–Racing Santander La Liga match on Sunday.
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“The match between Real Madrid and Racing Santander began at 1515 GMT on Sunday but was not broadcast on either of CCTV's two sports channels.”
TRT WorldState mediaReportsChina skips Real Madrid match broadcast amid row over Mbappe's Mao joke
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“China's state broadcaster CCTV did not air a Real Madrid match on Sunday, despite the club's star striker Kylian Mbappé's apology for his"ill-judged" remarks on the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong.”
BBCPublic broadcasterReportsChina state broadcaster pulls La Liga matches following Mbappé joke
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“Neither of the two sports channels on the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV aired Real Madrid’s match on Sunday after star forward Mbappe caused a furore in the Asian country, where millions follow the Spanish league.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsChinese state TV continues Real Madrid blackout after Mbappe-Mao meme row
One source 8
Only one outlet so far. Shown, never hidden — treat with care.
The China Media Group suspended La Liga broadcasts on October 26.
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“The China Media Group (CMG), which oversees CCTV, had said it suspended La Liga broadcasts on October 26, adding that apologies from La Liga, Mbappe and Real Madrid were “an absolute prerequisite” for moving past the furore.”
Al JazeeraState mediaAttributesChinese state TV continues Real Madrid blackout after Mbappe-Mao meme row
No other match from matchweek 11 of La Liga has been broadcast live on Chinese public television so far.
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“None of the other matches from matchweek 11 of La Liga has been broadcast live on public television so far.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsChinese state TV continues Real Madrid blackout after Mbappe-Mao meme row
Real Madrid beat Racing Santander 3-0 on Sunday, with goals from Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande.
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“Real Madrid beat Racing Santander 3-0 in Sunday's match, with goals from Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande.”
BBCPublic broadcasterReportsChina state broadcaster pulls La Liga matches following Mbappé joke
Mbappé said his comment was ill-judged and hurt many people in China and Chinese communities worldwide.
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“"My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world," he had said.”
BBCPublic broadcasterAttributesChina state broadcaster pulls La Liga matches following Mbappé joke
Mbappé apologised on Tuesday for his comment about the meme.
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“Mbappé, who reportedly made his remark about the meme on French talk show The Bridge, apologised later on Tuesday.”
BBCPublic broadcasterReportsChina state broadcaster pulls La Liga matches following Mbappé joke
China Media Group demanded apologies from Real Madrid, La Liga and Mbappé as an absolute prerequisite.
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“China Media Group had earlier demanded apologies from the three parties, calling them"an absolute prerequisite" for moving past the incident.”
BBCPublic broadcasterAttributesChina state broadcaster pulls La Liga matches following Mbappé joke
CMG said apologies from La Liga, Mbappe and Real Madrid were "an absolute prerequisite" for moving past the furore.
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“China Media Group (CMG), which overseesCCTV, had said it had moved on Monday to suspend La Liga broadcasts, adding that apologies from La Liga, Mbappe and Real Madrid were"an absolute prerequisite" for moving past the furore.”
TRT WorldState mediaAttributesChina skips Real Madrid match broadcast amid row over Mbappe's Mao joke
The Real Madrid–Racing Santander match began at 1515 GMT on Sunday.
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“The match between Real Madrid and Racing Santander began at 1515 GMT on Sunday but was not broadcast on either of CCTV's two sports channels.”
TRT WorldState mediaReportsChina skips Real Madrid match broadcast amid row over Mbappe's Mao joke
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Watch
News video from the outlets covering this story.
Mbappe Row: China's Blackout of La Liga Continues | WION Pulse
Real Madrid matches still banned in China despite Mbappe apology
Real Madrid matches still banned in China despite Mbappe apology
Football: China refuses to air Real Madrid game after Mbappé comment
Football: China refuses to air Real Madrid game after Mbappé comment • FRANCE 24 English
Ghost edits
Changes outlets made to their articles after publishing, caught by re-reading them.
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HeadlineChina state broadcaster CCTV pulls La Liga matches following Mbappé joke
1 added
AddedWhy Kylian Mbappé’s comment sparked anger in China
All sources
3 reports from 3 outlets — with who owns each outlet and who pays for it.
Al Jazeera State media
QatarOwner: Al Jazeera Media NetworkPaid by: funded by the State of Qatar
BBC Public broadcaster
United KingdomOwner: BBC — public corporation under Royal CharterPaid by: TV licence fee
TRT World State media
TürkiyeOwner: Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT)Paid by: Turkish state budget + advertising
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6 confirmed · 8 one-source3 outletsUpdated