Real Madrid's LaLiga match against Racing Santander was not broadcast on Chinese television on Sunday as a controversy over a meme involving Kylian Mbappe and former Chinese leader Mao Zedong continued to reverberate.
The blackout affects the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 fixture between Racing Santander and Real Madrid, scheduled for November 2, 2026. Chinese broadcasters pulled the live feed without official explanation, but the move follows social media backlash in China over a meme that juxtaposed Mbappe's image with Mao Zedong.
The meme, which circulated widely on Chinese platforms, drew criticism from nationalist commentators and prompted calls for a boycott of Real Madrid content. Neither LaLiga nor Real Madrid has issued a formal statement on the broadcast suspension.
