Home / Crime and Justice / Al-Khelaïfi Acquitted Again in World Cup Rights Case
Al-Khelaïfi Acquitted Again in World Cup Rights Case
19 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Paris Saint-Germain president's acquittal was upheld by Switzerland's supreme court.
- Jérôme Valcke's conviction for bribery and forgery was also upheld by the court.
- The case involved allegations tied to World Cup television rights and a villa.
Switzerland's highest court has affirmed the acquittal of Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaïfi. This final appeal decision concludes a case that alleged impropriety concerning World Cup television rights, where prosecutors attempted to link a villa to Al-Khelaïfi's beIN Media Group. Despite these efforts, Swiss courts have consistently found no wrongdoing in the $480 million deal.
In parallel proceedings, the supreme court also upheld the conviction of former FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke for bribery and forgery related to media rights in Italy and Greece. Valcke, who was removed from his FIFA post in 2015 and banned from soccer, faced charges of criminal mismanagement harming FIFA, but was acquitted on those counts in relation to Al-Khelaïfi.
The investigation, initiated in 2017, saw Valcke and a third defendant, Dinos Deris, have their suspended sentences upheld. The court's rulings addressed appeals from the federal prosecution office and the defendants, with requests for reconsideration of financial penalties. This series of rulings marks a significant development in a long-running legal saga.
