September 21 – Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al Khelaifi is under investigation in France on suspicion of an illegal conflict of interest, prosecutors confirmed on Sunday.
The investigation focuses on Al Khelaifi’s role as chairman of European champions Paris Saint-Germain and BeIN Media Group, where he also serves as chairman, and an alleged conflict of interest.
Prosecutors said a meeting on broadcasting rights with representatives of the French soccer league in July 2024 is part of the investigation. A day earlier, BeIN Sports offered €100 million for the rights to broadcast one Ligue 1 match a week. France’s professional soccer league, the LFP, later accepted the beIN offer.
“The allegations made against Mr. Nasser al-Khelaifi have no basis, either in law or in fact,” Al-Khelaifi’s lawyer, Renaud Semerdjian, told AFP. The lawyer said his client had “always acted independently, impartially and objectively”.
This is not the first time Al Khelaifi has faced a legal challenge. Swiss prosecutors charged him in a FIFA bribery case that was eventually dismissed. He also faced corruption charges over Qatar’s bids for the 2017 and 2019 World Athletics Championships. Those charges were finally dismissed in February 2023 after France’s highest court ruled that French authorities lacked the legal authority to try him. Last year he was accused of complicity in the abuse of power regarding the vote of shareholders in a company.
The Qatari is one of the most influential powers in European football. In addition to being chairman of PSG and BeIN Media Group, he also serves as chairman of European football clubs and sits on the UEFA executive committee.
Contact the writer of this story at samindra.kunti@insideworldfootball.com