Real Madrid matches blacked out on Chinese TV after Mbappe's Mao Zedong meme controversy

Chinese state television has refused to broadcast Real Madrid matches following Kylian Mbappe's controversial comments about Mao Zedong, damaging the club's commercial standing in Asia. The blackout comes after a video surfaced showing Mbappe laughing at a meme superimposing his face onto the former Chinese leader. CCTV did not air Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Racing Santander, despite Mbappe scoring, while streaming platform Migu showed Barcelona's recent match. Mbappe apologized for his "ill-judged" comments, and Real Madrid and La Liga expressed regret, but broadcast rights have not been restored. Several Chinese brands terminated sponsorship deals with Mbappe, and his Rednote account was muted. The NBA faced a similar blackout after Daryl Morey's Hong Kong tweet, highlighting the sensitivity of political issues in Chinese sports broadcasting.