PSG Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi Bribery Investigation Opened by Swiss Officials

Swiss prosecutors have opened criminal proceedings against Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi for allegedly bribing former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke for the award of media rights at the 2026 and 2030 World Cups.

Per BBC Sport, The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland said criminal proceedings have been opened on the basis of what it has found during an investigation into Valcke and Al-Khelaifi. 

The OAG "suspected that Jerome Valcke accepted undue advantages from a businessman in the sports rights sector in connection with the award of media rights for certain countries at the FIFA World Cups in 2018, 2022, 2026 and 2030 and from Nasser Al-Khelaifi in connection with the award of media rights for certain countries at the FIFA World Cups in 2026 and 2030."

Rob Harris of the Associated Press provided the statement in full:

Al-Khelaifi is chief executive of broadcaster beIN Sports, whom Valcke allegedly sold the World Cup TV rights to.

Valcke was interviewed in Switzerland as a suspect in the investigation on Thursday, which began in March this year and is a joint operation with French, Greek, Spanish and Italian authorities.

Last year, the Frenchman was suspended from all footballing activities for 12 years (later reduced to 10) because of misconduct, which included an attempt to sell the World Cup TV rights for the Caribbean.