Khalifi under scrutiny from French judiciary over broadcasting rights

Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint-Germain and chairman of the beIN Media Group, is facing a new preliminary investigation opened by the Paris public prosecutor's office over suspected conflicts of interest, according to French newspaper L'Équipe.

The case concerns the broadcasting rights of Ligue 1, with allegations that Nasser Al-Khelaifi attempted in 2024 to influence the decision of the board of the French league in favor of his group, beIN Media, according to the association "Anticor", which filed a complaint with the public prosecutor's office in Paris on March 3.

beIN Sports has secured the broadcasting rights for one Ligue 1 match for around €100 million, while DAZN took on the broadcasting of the remaining matches of the competition before later withdrawing. In return, those close to Nasser Al-Khelaifi confirm that the clubs in Ligue 1 and representatives of the league insisted that beIN Sports take on the broadcasting of one of the matches.

The investigation is not limited to Ligue 1 rights, as there are also suspicions surrounding the broadcasting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After Nicolas de Tavernost, the former president of the French Professional Football League, believed he had reached an agreement with FIFA to broadcast the 104 matches, beIN Sports signed a deal with FIFA on February 11 to broadcast the tournament, a move that angered de Tavernost and led to his resignation days later.

Du Taverneust spoke about a "structural lack of confidence, especially from the shareholders of Paris Saint-Germain," which the Parisian club denied. The former president of the "Ligue 1 Media Association" also sent a message to "FIFA" criticizing the stance of the head of the "beIN Media" group, stating that the business world assumes a "minimum level of credibility, loyalty, and respect for commitments."

This new investigation comes after Nasser Al-Khelaifi previously faced legal proceedings in France following a complaint from his former personal servant, in a case separate from the investigation related to broadcasting rights.