PSG president Nasser al-Khelaïfi is under investigation in France for allegations of illegal interest-taking.
Paris (France) (AFP) – Nasser al-Khelaïfi, president of PSG and beIN Media Group, is under preliminary investigation in Paris for illegal conflict of interest during a meeting in 2024 regarding broadcasting rights with the Professional Football League (LFP), the Paris prosecutor's office announced on Sunday.
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This investigation, revealed by the newspaper L'Équipe, was launched on April 24, 2026, and assigned to the Anti-Corruption Financial Brigade (BFAC), following a report from the anti-corruption association Anticor, the public prosecutor's office specified. According to a source close to the case, the anti-corruption association accuses Nasser al-Khelaïfi of participating in this meeting “regarding the approval of the beIN Sports offer, while he also held the position of president of beIN Media Group.”
By proceeding in this manner, Nasser al-Khelaïfi allegedly “took an interest that could compromise his impartiality, independence, or objectivity in an operation he was responsible for overseeing,” Anticor stated in its report, according to the source close to the case.
The defense strongly contests these allegations. “The accusations against Mr. Nasser al-Khelaïfi are unfounded: neither legally nor factually,” his lawyer, Me Renaud Semerdjian, responded to AFP on Sunday. His client “has always acted independently, impartially, and objectively, in all circumstances,” he emphasized.
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A case dating back to 2024
The case dates back to a preparatory meeting in July 2024, held via videoconference, for the allocation of broadcasting rights for football. Footage from this meeting was later broadcast by the France 2 program Complément d'enquête and L'Équipe. They illustrate marked tensions between PSG president Nasser al-Khelaïfi and other Ligue 1 club leaders.
This meeting took place just after a €100 million offer from beIN Sports to the LFP for the broadcast of one Ligue 1 match each week was made. The LFP ultimately accepted this proposal from beIN. Nasser al-Khelaïfi allegedly “exerted strong pressure on the other Ligue 1 club presidents to ensure the beIN Sports offer was validated” and implied that he “was behind” this offer, according to Anticor, based on the source close to the case.
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