Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is under preliminary investigation in France over suspected unlawful conflict of interest linked to negotiations for Ligue 1 broadcasting rights.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed the investigation on Sunday, following an earlier report by French sports newspaper L’Équipe. The probe concerns Al-Khelaifi’s dual roles as president of PSG and chairman of beIN Media Group.
The investigation centres on a July 2024 meeting involving representatives of the French professional football league and Al-Khelaifi concerning broadcasting rights. The meeting came shortly after beIN Sports submitted a €100 million ($115 million) offer for the rights to broadcast one Ligue 1 match per week. The French football league subsequently accepted the offer.
French anti-corruption organisation Anticor reportedly raised concerns that Al-Khelaifi may have participated in discussions concerning the beIN Sports bid despite his position as chairman of the broadcaster. A source cited in reports also alleged that he exerted pressure on other Ligue 1 club presidents to support the proposal.
The investigation was opened in April following Anticor’s complaint, with the case assigned to France’s anti-corruption and financial police.
Al-Khelaifi has rejected the allegations through his lawyer, Renaud Semerdjian, who described them as unfounded both legally and factually. The lawyer said Al-Khelaifi had always acted independently, impartially and objectively.
beIN Media Group has also disputed the suggestion of a conflict of interest. In a letter to the French Football Federation’s ethics council, the company said that although Al-Khelaifi holds the chairman position, he has no operational or executive responsibility within beIN Media Group or beIN Sports France.
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