Chinese state TV keeps Real Madrid match off air after Mbappé’s Mao meme apology

CCTV continued to refuse airing the La Liga match on Sunday, prolonging the fallout from Mbappé’s April meme about Mao Zedong.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 02 Nov 2026 14:38:28 GMT

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV did not show Real Madrid’s 3-0 La Liga victory over Racing Santander on Sunday, even after Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga issued formal apologies for the player’s April meme that referenced Mao Zedong, according to both the Independent and Al Jazeera.

What happened

The match kicked off at 15:15 GMT on 2 November 2026. Neither of CCTV’s two sports channels carried the game, and no other La Liga match from week 11 was broadcast live on Chinese public television, as reported by Al Jazeera citing AFP.

What the reports add

The Independent noted that China Media Group, the parent of CCTV, demanded apologies from Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga as a prerequisite for restoring broadcasts, but it has not confirmed when the match will be shown again. Al Jazeera added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it took Mbappé’s apology “seriously” and that the body overseeing CCTV announced a halt to all top‑flight Spanish‑league broadcasts.

What was said

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho defended the player, praising the club’s swift response, as quoted by the Independent. La Liga president Javier Tebas said he created a crisis‑management unit and held talks with Chinese ambassador Yao Jing, also reported by the Independent. The Chinese foreign ministry’s statement on taking the apology seriously was cited by Al Jazeera.

How it came about

The controversy began when Mbappé joked about a meme that placed his face on Mao Zedong during a French‑television interview in April, sparking a backlash on Chinese social media. The incident led to three Chinese sponsors ending deals with the player and prompted CCTV to stop airing La Liga matches, as detailed in Felo’s earlier coverage Mbappé’s Mao meme sparks sponsor fallout and La Liga broadcast halt in China. Subsequent apologies from the player, his club and the league did not immediately lift the broadcast ban.

Key facts

CCTV did not broadcast Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Racing Santander on 2 Nov 2026. (aljazeera.com)
Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga all issued formal apologies for the Mao meme. (independent.co.uk)
China Media Group demanded the apologies before considering a broadcast resumption. (independent.co.uk)
The Chinese foreign ministry said it took Mbappé’s apology seriously. (aljazeera.com)

Timeline

2026-04-XX — Mbappé jokes about Mao Zedong in a podcast interview, video goes viral.
2026-10-27 — Mbappé issues apology in French, Chinese and English.
2026-11-02 — CCTV continues to not broadcast Real Madrid match.