Paris prosecutor investigates PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi over football TV rights

Preliminary investigation confirmed in Paris

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaifi is the subject of an official preliminary judicial inquiry in France regarding suspected conflict of interest and the unlawful taking of interests. The Paris public prosecutor's office confirmed the existence of the investigation on Sunday, 20 September 2026. This official announcement from the public ministry corroborated details initially disclosed by the French sports newspaper L'Equipe. Judicial authorities are examining al-Khelaifi in connection with his dual institutional positions as the president of the French football club and the chairman of Qatar-based media conglomerate beIN Media Group. The preliminary inquiry is assessing the governance and allocation of football television broadcasting rights overseen by the French football authorities.

July 2024 television rights negotiations

The judicial inquiry focuses specifically on a meeting held in July 2024 involving the Ligue de football professionnel (LFP), the administrative body responsible for French professional football. Investigators are examining whether al-Khelaifi participated in discussions and deliberations on television rights while being directly concerned by the resulting commercial determinations. Under French law, the offense of unlawful taking of interests involves decision-makers participating in official proceedings where they possess private or conflicting corporate interests. As the president of Paris Saint-Germain, al-Khelaifi operates as a leading representative of French club football, while his simultaneous role at beIN Media Group places him at the head of a television rights bidder and broadcaster. Prosecutors suspect his attendance at the July 2024 LFP gathering may have created an illegal conflict between these two executive functions.

Anti-corruption referral and police inquiry

The formal legal case was initiated following a report filed by Anticor, the French anti-corruption association. After receiving the notification from Anticor, the Paris public prosecutor opened the preliminary investigation in April. Judicial authorities entrusted the investigation to the Brigade financiere anti-corruption (BFAC), the specialized French police division responsible for investigating financial crimes and public integrity violations. Officers from the BFAC are analyzing the administration of the television rights dossier, focusing on the interactions between the LFP, beIN Media Group, and Paris Saint-Germain. The financial unit is evaluating whether procedural rules were respected during the deliberations and whether al-Khelaifi exercised improper influence during the negotiations.

Defense response and legal denial

In response to the judicial inquiry, legal representation for al-Khelaifi stated that the allegations were unfounded and asserted that all actions taken during the television rights discussions complied with legal requirements. In remarks made to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the attorney for the Qatari executive emphasized that his client had conducted all affairs properly. Specifically, the lawyer told AFP that al-Khelaifi had "always acted in an independent, impartial and objective manner" during his institutional interactions. The defense maintains that al-Khelaifi's participation in French football governance remained transparent and lawful despite the dual responsibilities he holds at Paris Saint-Germain and beIN Media Group. The preliminary investigation led by the BFAC and monitored by the Paris prosecutor remains ongoing.