CCTV drops Real Madrid match despite Mbappé's apology over Mao meme

China's state broadcaster CCTV did not air Real Madrid's 3-0 La Liga win at Racing Santander on 1 November 2026, the club's matchweek 11 fixture. According to AFP, both of the broadcaster's sports channels left the game off their schedules. The blackout stems from comments by Real Madrid's French forward Kylian Mbappé about an internet meme involving Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the People's Republic of China. Apologies from Mbappé, the club and the Spanish league have so far failed to lift it.

What did Mbappé say?

The row began with a clip from the French TV programme The Bridge, recorded in April and widely shared online in recent weeks. In it, Mbappé named as his favourite meme one that put his face on an image resembling Mao. According to GOAL, he described the man in the picture as "some guy" and a "Chinese dictator". Joking about Mao is considered taboo in China.

Once the video spread, China Media Group, which oversees CCTV, announced that it was suspending La Liga broadcasts and demanded apologies from Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga. Al Jazeera reported that the group called those apologies "an absolute prerequisite" for moving on. Several major Chinese brands ended sponsorship deals with the forward, and his account on the Chinese platform Rednote was muted for breaching community guidelines.

Why haven't the apologies ended the blackout?

All three apologies China Media Group asked for have been made, but Real Madrid games are still missing from CCTV. Mbappé called his comments "ill-judged" and acknowledged they had upset people in China and Chinese communities abroad. La Liga and Real Madrid both issued statements expressing deep regret, and Beijing's foreign ministry stated that it viewed the player's apology as serious. China Media Group acknowledged the apologies, according to Al Jazeera, but gave no timetable for resuming coverage.

The blackout appears to be aimed at Real Madrid in particular. According to GOAL and Al Jazeera, La Liga matches were still available on Migu, a streaming service owned by state-run China Mobile. Barcelona's 6-1 win over Alavés was shown there, while Real Madrid's game at Racing was missing from the platform's listings. Real Madrid coach José Mourinho said the club had "done our part" to put the controversy behind it.

The blackout comes as Mbappé is in prolific form. According to ScoreLab data, the France forward has scored 11 goals and added 2 assists in 10 La Liga games in 2026/27, averaging a goal every 81 minutes. He opened the scoring at Racing Santander, with Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande adding the other goals, and scored twice in Real Madrid's win at Barcelona on 25 October 2026.

How did the row unfold?

1. April 2026 — Video featuring Mbappé's comments on the Mao meme is recorded.
2. October 2026 — The clip goes viral; China Media Group suspends La Liga broadcasts and demands apologies.
3. October 2026 — Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga apologise; several Chinese brands end sponsorship deals with Mbappé.
4. October 2026 — China's foreign ministry says it views Mbappé's apology as serious.
5. 1 November 2026 — CCTV does not broadcast Real Madrid's 3-0 win at Racing Santander.

What happens next?

Chinese officials have not said when the blackout will end, and Al Jazeera reported that La Liga had not responded to a request for comment. According to GOAL, Real Madrid's commercial department is worried that a long absence from Chinese state TV could benefit rivals such as the Premier League and the Bundesliga. CCTV also carries the Premier League and the top divisions in Germany, France and Italy. According to ScoreLab data, Real Madrid visit AEK Athens in the Champions League on 4 November 2026 and Valencia in La Liga on 7 November 2026, two more tests of whether the blackout holds.