New Sports Law Threatens Nasser al-Khelaïfi's Position at LFP

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaïfi could be forced to step down from his seat on the board of the Professional Football League if the new law on professional sport is adopted as written. Article 8 of the text, currently being examined by the Senate, provides for incompatibility between certain executive roles within a professional football commercial entity and holding interests in an audiovisual broadcasting company.

The provision directly concerns al-Khelaïfi, who chairs both PSG and beIN Media Group, the parent company of beIN Sports. The text, as published on the Senate website, states that “the functions of chief executive officer, member of the executive board or member of the deliberative body serving in place thereof of a commercial company created pursuant to articles L. 333-1 or L. 333-2-1 are incompatible with the holding of interests or the exercise of functions in an audiovisual broadcasting company, except for functions exercised in an audiovisual broadcasting company controlled directly or indirectly by said commercial company”.

The situation is all the more sensitive because beIN Sports regularly participates in negotiations over television rights for French football, creating a potential conflict of interest that the law is precisely intended to regulate.

In the Qatari executive’s circle, it is emphasized that he already recuses himself during votes on sensitive matters. Some observers also suggest that al-Khelaïfi could retain some of his influence by abandoning his official title within the audiovisual group, without completely disengaging from beIN Media Group.

The practical application of the text therefore remains to be clarified. A reorganization around the Paris president seems likely, but it would not necessarily call into question the full extent of his weight in the governing bodies of French football.