By Mohammed Abdullahi in Dakar
Rwanda is continuously attracting visitors to the country through strategic and significant investments in sports.
This reality is visible in the country’s partnerships with global sport brands including Basketball Africa League (BAL), Paris Saint German (PSG) and Arsenal football clubs where the visit Rwanda brand generates attention.
Specifically, Rwanda has partnered with BAL to host the finals of the flagship pan-African club Basketball competition in the 10,000 capacity Bank of Kigali Arena in Rwanda for the past two years and later this year in May.

L:R. Amadou Gallo Fall, BAL President and Michaella Rugwizangog, RDB Chief Tourism Officer
At the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) media conference in Dakar, Senegal, part of the side events of the ongoing BAL Sahara Conference where 6 African teams are competing for four final slots to the playoff finals in Kigali, Michaella Rugwizangog, RDB Chief Tourism Officer stated sport is a key strategy of Rwanda tourism.
“The government of Rwanda has continuously invested in sports because it is a unifier. It brings people from all walks of life together. This is why we are a major partner of BAL, PSG and Arsenal which of course, have created more interest in people across the world to visit Rwanda to experience our culture, warmth and all year-round incredible weather,” Michaella Rugwizangog stated.
She added that it took only six months for the government of Rwanda to build the magnificent, world class Bank of Kigali Arena in order to have a befitting global standard facility to host the BAL finals since 2021.
The finals of the BAL 2023 season will take place at the Bank of Kigali Arena from May 21 to 27 with thousands of basketball lovers expected to visit Rwanda.